Author: Newsdesk

Aite Group
will
recognize
the
innovative financial institutions
that have
leverag
ed
best-
in
-class technology
during an
a
wards
p
resentation
at the
Innovation in Cash Management & Payments Forum
being held
virtually December 10
and
11
.

BOSTON, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aite Group is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Impact Innovation Awards in cash management and payments. The awards recognize innovation achieved by financial institutions leveraging technology to set a higher standard. The awards will be presented to the honorees during a virtual awards ceremony at Aite Group’s third annual Innovation in Cash Management & Payments Forum taking place on December 10 and 11, 2020.

In its third year, the awards program honors the innovative financial institutions that are introducing new products, capabilities, or levels of automation and effectiveness that bring the industry one step closer to next-generation banking. These are the financial institutions, regardless of size, that others will follow. The winners across the six categories are as follows:

Customer Experience: U.S. Bank

Digital Channel Capabilities: Citi

Digital Channel/Cash Management and Payment Implementation: Bank of the West BNP Paribas

Operational Efficiency: Ecobank

New Product Development: PNC Bank

AI/Advanced Analytics: Royal Bank of Canada

The award winners and finalists were selected based on the following criteria, which were considered when scoring each entry:

Level of innovation and competitive advantage

Market need

Impact on customer experience

Impact on customer operational efficiency

Level of new revenue opportunity

Impact on customer retention/new customer attraction

Level of scalability across customer base

Future roadmap

“We welcome the opportunity to recognize and celebrate innovation in the cash management and payments industry,” said Christine Barry, research director at Aite Group. “This year in particular has been especially challenging, as banks have been forced to think outside the box to address a heightened urgency for enhanced digital capabilities and experiences, achieve greater levels of automation and efficiency, and pursue more informed client engagement.”

The winners were selected by an eight-person panel that consisted of three Aite Group analysts and five external judges. The identification of an Aite Group award winner or finalist is not an endorsement by Aite Group of any vendor, product, or service.

Register to Attend

To learn more about the 2020 Innovation in Cash Management & Payments Forum and to register to attend, please visit https://aitegroup.swoogo.com/ICMPForum2020/, contact Lori Spendley at 617.398.5055, or email us at [email protected].

Sponsor
ship
Opportunities

The 2020 Innovation in Cash Management & Payments Forum is proud to have Q2 as premier event partners as well as Alacriti, Billtrust, Bottomline Technologies, Citi, DadeSystems, Finacle, Finastra, FIS, Fiserv, Intellect Design, Kyriba, and Volante as platinum event partners. For information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Gerald Clemente at 617.338.6027 or [email protected].

To
request additional information about Aite Group’s Impact Innovation Awards, please contact us at [email protected].

About Aite Group’s Innovation in Cash Management
&
Payments Forum        
Aite Group analysts and invited industry panelists will be sharing the latest insights and analysis on cash management and payments trends at the Aite Group Innovation in Cash Management & Payments Forum taking place virtually on December 10 and 11, 2020. You can follow updates about the event on Twitter using #ICMP_Forum.

About Aite Group:
Aite Group is a global research and advisory firm delivering comprehensive, actionable advice on business, technology, and regulatory issues and their impact on the financial services industry. With expertise in banking, payments, fraud and AML, insurance, wealth management, cybersecurity, and the capital markets, we guide financial institutions, technology providers, and consulting firms worldwide. We partner with our clients, revealing their blind spots and delivering insights to make their businesses smarter and stronger. Visit us on the web and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Press Contact:
Siobhan Scanlan
Public Relations
+1.617.398.5064
[email protected]

CHANDLER, Ariz., Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Meeting the demand for increased bandwidth and flexible data rates in evolving automotive applications like safety and communication, while further supporting the development of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announced its PIC18 Q84 family — the first PIC18 microcontroller (MCU) family that can be used to transmit and receive data through a Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate (CAN FD) bus. Accompanied by an extensive array of Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) that handle a variety of tasks without requiring CPU intervention, Microchip’s PIC18 Q84 family cuts both time and cost when connecting systems to a CAN FD network.

The family provides a simple solution for transporting sensor data to a CAN FD bus, without the need for gateways or sophisticated network switching techniques. In addition, its configurable CIPs make it easy to create custom hardware-based functions for automotive and industrial designs with near-zero latency. Additional code is not required. Available peripherals include a 32-bit Cyclic Redundancy Check with Scan (CRC/SCAN) and a Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT) for functional safety capabilities, and a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) interface to implement industry-standard testing and debugging.

“CAN FD will continue to play a critical role in delivering faster data transfer rates for applications, ranging from the connected car to industrial automation and smart homes,” said Greg Robinson, associate vice president of marketing for Microchip’s 8-bit microcontroller business unit. “Microchip is furthering the adoption of this protocol with our latest 8-bit PIC^® MCU family, helping designers create cost-effective network nodes at scale.”

Development Tools and CAN FD Product Support

The PIC18 Q84 family offers both hardware and software support. Hardware includes a Curiosity Nano Development Board and a Curiosity High Pin Count (HPC) Development Board. A plug-in module (PIM) is also available for the Automotive Networking Development Board and for use with Microchip development boards. Software includes Microchip’s MPLAB^® Code Configurator (MCC).

Microchip also provides a broad family of CAN FD transceivers and CAN FD controllers. To learn more about Microchip’s complete CAN and CAN FD offering, visit Microchip’s CAN technology design center.

Pricing and Availability

The PIC18 Q84 family is available in volume production starting at $0.78 in 10,000-unit quantities.

For additional information, contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized worldwide distributor or visit Microchip’s website. To purchase products mentioned here, click to order now or contact a Microchip authorized distributor.

Resources

High-res images available through Flickr or editorial contact (feel free to publish):

• Application image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/49946774376
• Tool image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/49947064327

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of smart, connected and secure embedded control solutions. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal designs which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time to market. The company’s solutions serve more than 120,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Note: The Microchip logo, the Microchip name and logo, MPLAB and PIC are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies. 

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clever Leaves International Inc. (“Clever Leaves”), a leading multi-national operator and licensed producer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids, has provided an update on their current international footprint by announcing successful exportation of cannabis products to 14 different countries and 5 continents as of Q4 of 2020. The products range from raw materials, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and semi-finished products, including white label products.

Clever Leaves’ international network highlights the Company’s ability maintain important partnerships with regulatory agencies and governments as well as the ability to navigate pandemic-related supply chain setbacks. In compliance with all cannabis regulations in the countries served, the Company’s portfolio of products has been exported to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, Perú, Poland, Spain, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

“Most of the international cannabis industry functions like a pharmaceutical channel requiring significant investments of time and focus by both a supplier such as Clever Leaves and its commercial partners throughout the world. Success depends on navigating nascent but strict regulatory systems, and relationships often require initial small batch or sample shipments and validation before larger partnerships can emerge. COVID-19 has introduced new challenges even when it comes to basic transportation logistics. These milestones across our export network strengthen our ability to deliver value to our business partners and to patients around the world,” said Kyle Detwiler, CEO of Clever Leaves.

“The resilience, professionalism, and creativity in times of setback, have been critical to the success of our team to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and to meet customers’ deadlines during a time of unparalleled logistical restrictions. Additionally, we are grateful to work in partnership with local regulatory agencies and logistics service providers who share the same goal to bring high-quality medical cannabis products to patients and are committed to the advancement of the global cannabis market,” said Andrés Fajardo, President of Clever Leaves.

The Company was granted their EU GMP certification for cannabis extracts in July 2020, establishing Clever Leaves’ facilities in Colombia as the first and only operation to be granted EU GMP certification in Latin America and one of a select few in the world. The certification, which is generally required to import medical cannabis products into the European Union, allows Clever Leaves to produce API, semi-finished and finished products to be distributed in pharmaceutical channels. Additionally, in August 2020, Clever Leaves was granted a provisional license in Portugal from Infarmed, the Portuguese health authority that allows Clever Leaves to cultivate, import and export dry flower for medicinal and research purposes.

Clever Leaves recently announced that it amended its definitive agreement with Schultze Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: SAMA, SAMAW, and SAMAU) (“SAMA”), pursuant to which a newly formed holding company, Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (“Holdco”) will acquire SAMA and Clever Leaves (the “Business Combination”). The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020, with Holdco anticipated to become a Nasdaq-listed public company trading under the ticker symbol “CLVR”.

About Clever Leaves International Inc.

Clever Leaves is a multi-national cannabis company with a mission to operate in compliance with federal and state laws and with an emphasis on ecologically sustainable, large-scale cultivation and pharmaceutical-grade processing as the cornerstones of its global cannabinoid business. With operations and investments in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Portugal, and the United States, Clever Leaves has created an effective distribution network and global footprint, with a foundation built upon capital efficiency and rapid growth. Clever Leaves aims to be one of the industry’s leading global cannabinoid companies recognized for its principles, people, and performance while fostering a healthier global community.

About Schultze Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
Schultze Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: SAMA, SAMAW, and SAMAU) is a blank check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. SAMA’s sponsor is an affiliate of Schultze Asset Management, LP, an alternative investment management firm founded in 1998 that focuses on distressed, special situation and event-driven securities and has invested over $3.2 billion since inception with a notable track-record through its active investment strategy. SAMA itself is backed by an experienced team of operators and investors with a successful track-record of creating material value in public and private companies.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Business Combination, Holdco has filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) which includes a prospectus with respect to Holdco’s securities to be issued in connection with the Business Combination and a proxy statement with respect to SAMA’s stockholder meeting at which SAMA’s stockholders will be asked to vote on the proposed Business Combination. SAMA, Clever Leaves and Holdco urge investors, stockholders and other interested persons to read the Registration Statement, including the proxy statement/prospectus contained therein, as well as other documents filed with the SEC, because these documents contain important information about the Business Combination. Following the Registration Statement having been declared effective by the SEC, a definitive proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to stockholders of SAMA as of a record date to be established for voting on the Business Combination. SAMA’s stockholders will also be able to obtain a copy of such documents, without charge, by directing a request to: Schultze Special Purpose Acquisition Corp, 800 Westchester Avenue, Suite 632, Rye Brook, New York 10573; e-mail: [email protected]. These documents, once available, can also be obtained, without charge, at the SEC’s web site (http://www.sec.gov).

Participants in Solicitation

SAMA, Clever Leaves, Holdco and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of their management and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of SAMA stockholders in connection with the Business Combination. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies to SAMA’s stockholders in connection with the Business Combination is set forth in the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, and will also be included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus for the Business Combination when available. Information concerning the interests of SAMA’s and Clever Leaves’ participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of SAMA’s and Clever Leaves’ equity holders generally, is also set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, and will also be included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus for the Business Combination when available.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions). Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include, without limitation, SAMA’s and Clever Leaves’ inability to complete the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination; matters discovered by the parties as they complete their respective due diligence investigation of the other; the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, the amount of cash available following any redemptions by SAMA stockholders and the ability to close the private placement with certain institutional investors; the ability to meet Nasdaq’s listing standards following the consummation of the Business Combination; costs related to the Business Combination; expectations with respect to future operating and financial performance and growth, including when Clever Leaves or Holdco will become cash flow positive; the timing of the completion of the Business Combination; Clever Leaves’ ability to execute its business plans and strategy and to receive regulatory approvals; potential litigation involving the parties; global economic conditions; geopolitical events, natural disasters, acts of God and pandemics, including, but not limited to, the economic and operational disruptions and other effects of COVID-19; regulatory requirements and changes thereto; access to additional financing; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in filings with the SEC. Other factors include the possibility that the proposed transaction does not close, including due to the failure to receive required security holder approvals or the failure to satisfy other closing conditions. The foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information concerning certain of these and other risk factors is contained in the Registration Statement, including the proxy statement/prospectus included therein. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning SAMA, Clever Leaves or Holdco, the transactions described herein or other matters and attributable to SAMA, Clever Leaves, Holdco or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Each of SAMA, Clever Leaves and Holdco expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in their expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Press contacts:

McKenna Miller
KCSA Strategic Communications
+1347-487-6197
[email protected]

Diana Sigüenza
Strategic Communications Director
+573102368830
[email protected]

Investor inquiries:

Raphael Gross
ICR
+1203-682-8253
[email protected]

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hound Labs, Inc., a health technology company specializing in point-of-care solutions, announced today the hiring of Larry White, a leading expert in employment screening and drug testing. He will join the Company as Executive Vice President of Operations and Administration to help Hound Labs bring its flagship HOUND^® MARIJUANA BREATHALYZER to market.

White, the former President and Chief Operating Officer of leading employment screening and drug testing provider Employment Background Investigations, Inc. (EBI), has 20 years of experience in the employment screening industry. He has personally directed 11 separate acquisitions and has played a key role in the creation of new products and services while successfully implementing sales strategies. White’s expertise will help to enhance the suite of solutions Hound Labs has developed to accommodate both employers’ and employees’ desire for Safety + Fairness™ in the workplace.

“As the wave of cannabis legalization sweeps across the country, employers – large and small – are facing a massive challenge when it comes to balancing their need for safe worksites with treating their employees fairly,” said White. “There needs to be a fundamental shift towards determining very recent use of cannabis, because employers do not want to fire their employees. They are beginning to recognize that reliance on current marijuana testing methods risks positive results for employees who have actually used responsibly and are no longer impaired.”

Voters across America embraced legalized marijuana this month, passing initiatives for medical marijuana use in Mississippi and South Dakota and recreational marijuana use in Arizona, New Jersey, Montana, and South Dakota. The majority of Americans now have access to legal marijuana, with 15 states allowing legal recreational use and 35 states allowing legal medical use.

Legalization of marijuana has left employers and law enforcement agencies scrambling to adapt cannabis testing practices to identify very recent marijuana use. Peak impairment only lasts for a few hours¹, yet current tests that detect marijuana in oral fluid, blood, urine and hair may give positive results for days or even weeks after someone last used marijuana. This can result in positive test results long after impairment has subsided.

“Larry will be critical to helping us bring necessary change to how our customers respond to the growing acceptance of sensible marijuana use,” said Dr. Mike Lynn, CEO and co-founder of Hound Labs, Inc. “The HOUND MARIJUANA BREATHALYZER will usher in a new era of marijuana drug testing, one in which employees and drivers who choose to use cannabis responsibly and legally are treated fairly for their choices.”

Today’s drug testing methods, which were developed when marijuana use was illegal, were helpful when “zero-tolerance” policies prohibited use of marijuana because it was uniformly classified as an illegal substance. However, in the era of marijuana legalization and acceptance, they do not provide sufficient information to discern between employees and drivers who used marijuana recently – and may be jeopardizing workplace and road safety – versus those who used last week and are no longer impaired. With the addition of White, Hound Labs is positioned to take advantage of the growing and urgent need for a fairer approach to marijuana drug testing.

Since launching a Wait List earlier this year, hundreds of employers, service providers and law enforcement agencies have joined. Despite impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic on manufacturing, Hound Labs continues to build its commercial manufacturing capabilities in preparation for go-to-market in early 2021.

About Hound Labs, Inc.
Hound Labs is a point-of-care health technology company that combines science and technology in novel ways to improve health and wellness. The Company believes its ultra-sensitive and portable technologies will pave the way to practical and fair solutions for some of the leading public health and safety issues. Hound Labs’ point-of-care solutions include the HOUND^® MARIJUANA BREATHALYZER², which allows employers and law enforcement to identify recent marijuana use rapidly and accurately by testing breath on-site, and the HOUND^® COVID-19 BREATHALYZER, which captures breath samples on-location for laboratory identification of COVID-19. The Oakland-based company was founded in 2014 by a team including CEO Dr. Mike Lynn, an ER physician, reserve deputy sheriff, and former venture capitalist. Benchmark, Icon Ventures, Intrinsic Capital Partners, Main Street Advisors, NFP Ventures, and individual investors have funded the Company.

CONTACTS
CommStrat
Linden Kohtz
[email protected]
(512) 964-3784

Hound Labs, Inc.
Jenny Lynn, Co-Founder
[email protected]

¹ http://home.trafficresourcecenter.org/~/media/Microsites/Files/traffic-safety/NHTSA-Drugs_Human_Performance.ashx
² The HOUND^® MARIJUANA BREATHALYZER is intended to detect recent marijuana use. It does not measure whether, or how much, a person is impaired. It is intended solely for use in law enforcement, employment, and insurance settings. It should not be used for any medical or therapeutic purposes, or for any Federal drug testing programs, such as programs run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. military. 

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KBP Biosciences, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to research, development, and commercialization of innovative medicines for the global market, today announced the appointment of Douglas W. Losordo, MD, FACC, FAHA to the newly created position of Chief Medical Officer, effective immediately. Dr. Losordo, who will report directly to CEO Thijs Spoor, will lead all global clinical development and regulatory initiatives for the Company. Dr. Losordo is an accomplished physician and healthcare executive with more than 20 years of academic research, clinical and corporate experience.

“Doug has established a strong track record of success, leading multiple mid- and late-stage clinical trials and overseeing the development of a number of therapies aimed at improving the lives of patients,” said Thijs Spoor, Chief Executive Officer of KBP Biosciences. “His appointment comes at an important time for KBP as we prepare for the release of data from the Phase 2b study of our lead program, KBP-5074 for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension in moderate and severe CKD patients, and as we plan for End-of-Phase 2 meetings with both the FDA and EMA. We look forward to his contributions as we work to advance KBP-5074 toward a Phase 3 pivotal study.”

He joins KBP from Caladrius Biosciences, where he served as Executive Vice President, Global Head of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer since 2013 and was a member of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board from 2006 to 2013. Prior to Caladrius, he was Vice President, New Therapies Development, Regenerative Medicine, and a member of the Baxter Ventures team at Baxter International. Before beginning his career in the biotech industry in 2011, Dr. Losordo was the director of the Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute and the Eileen M. Foell Professor of Heart Research at Northwestern University’s School of Medicine and director of the Program in Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Previously he was Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and Chief of Cardiovascular Research at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston. He is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and interventional cardiology. He received his M.D. from the University of Vermont. He has served as an associate editor of Circulation Research, the basic science journal of the American Heart Association, and serves on the editorial boards of a number of scientific journals.

“I am thrilled to join the world-class KBP executive team and help lead the advancement of the Company’s development pipeline,” said Dr. Losordo. “This is especially so as I believe that KBP-5074 has the potential to become a game-changer in the cardio-renal space. I look forward to the upcoming release of the Phase 2b data and to leading this novel compound into its planned Phase 3 study in 2021.”

About KBP Bio
s
ciences

KBP Biosciences is a global, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of new chemical entities with known mechanisms of action targeting underserved patient populations. Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, KBP Biosciences has strong capabilities ranging from Discovery and CMC through global clinical development and registration. The Company principally devotes its resources to three therapeutic areas: major organ protection, inflammation & autoimmune diseases, and anti-infectives.

The Company’s lead program, KBP-5074, a non-steroidal MRA discovered and developed by KBP’s scientists, recently completed a global Phase 2b clinical trial for patients with uncontrolled hypertension in moderate and severe Chronic Kidney Disease patients. KBP is also developing KBP-7072, a Phase 2 ready third-generation aminomethylcycline for the treatment of multiple strains of drug-resistant infections with high activity against certain key pathogens.

KBP has built a proprietary R&D platform aimed at the discovery and development of global first-in-class compounds. The platform includes a compound library, which is the basis of new compound discovery, a bacterium library aimed at multi-drug resistant bacteria, and an in vivo pharmacology platform for screening and testing new compounds. KBP Biosciences is actively seeking to identify additional promising therapeutic opportunities and further develop its product portfolio.

Contacts:

Tyler Ehler
Investor Relations
[email protected]
+1 (929) 288-9573

Investors:

Lee Roth
Burns McClellan
[email protected]
+1 (212) 213 0006

Media:

Ryo Imai / Robert Flamm, Ph.D.
Burns McClellan
[email protected] / [email protected]
+1 (212) 300-8315 / 1 (212) 300-8364

Epazz DeskFlex continues to spread its influence worldwide as the product upgrade sparks interest from global companies looking to help employees return to the office.

CHICAGO, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via NewMediaWire — Epazz Inc. (OTC: EPAZ), a provider of mission-critical cloud-computing software solutions and blockchain business solutions, announced today that the DeskFlex room booking software continues to attract more global clients from real estate and telco companies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, helping increase overall revenue to over $410,000 unaudited for the third quarter.

According to a recent report on the real estate software market, global real estate software market demand will grow from USD $9M in 2019 to USD $18M by the end of 2025 at a compound annual growth rate of 11.57%. The report highlights the cumulative impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior changes, purchasing patterns, demands, rerouting of the supply chain dynamics of the current market and government mandates. The real estate software market is expected to provide reliable and relevant automation across banking management, facility management, integrated workplace management and asset management to companies worldwide. Because of the continued COVID-19 threat, workers are demanding safer offices and alternates with flexible work hours. As of the present, there is no available vaccine for the virus, thus creating anxiety and fear among the workforce. As a result, DeskFlex is experiencing increased demand for its software all over the world.

Epazz DeskFlex real estate management software continuously receives appointments for product demos as companies worldwide recognize the need for office scheduling technology. As the fourth quarter begins, DeskFlex continues to double revenues from global companies signing up for DeskFlex room scheduling software. Telecom companies and real estate industries have expressed interest in adopting the COVID-19-compliant DeskFlex desk booking software for their organizations.

DeskFlex desk booking software is a customizable application suitable for organizations bringing back their workforce through alternating shifts and schedules. Companies need a room scheduling system to maintain health and safety protocols when the staff return despite the COVID-19 threat.

DeskFlex facility management software is a pioneering room booking software technology. With DeskFlex’s updated features and functions that comply with COVID-19 safety protocols, more companies are signing up for this real estate software product.

DeskFlex meeting room scheduling software has comprehensive on-cloud and on-premise office space management features that come in an English, Spanish, Portuguese and French multilingual software package. Companies can expect to deploy the right language settings suitable for their organization.

According to Shaun Passley, PhD, CEO of Epazz Inc., “We are happy to help more and more global companies secure their workplaces from the virus. As humanity continues to find a vaccine and cure, we, at the tech industry, will continue to upgrade DeskFlex conference room booking software to enhance workplace security and protocols further.”

About 


DeskFlex.com


 

DeskFlex is a desk booking solution and room reservation software useful for booking conference rooms, meeting rooms, workspaces, desks, car parking spaces and office equipment. DeskFlex meeting room scheduling system helps office managers accommodate remote workers’ time in the office, reducing rent and facility costs. DeskFlex lets employees reserve desks in advance or claim desks right away. It adjusts the telephone switch (PBX) so calls ring at the “desk du jour.” DeskFlex includes check-in, point-and-click floor maps, a web browser, a local kiosk, Microsoft Outlook integration and conference room scheduling.

About

Epazz Inc

. (www.epazz.com)

Epazz Inc. is a leading cloud-based software company that specializes in providing customized cloud applications to the corporate world, higher-education institutions and the public sector. Epazz BoxesOS™ v3.0 is a complete web-based software package for small- to mid-size businesses, Fortune 500 enterprises, government agencies and higher-education institutions. BoxesOS provides many of the web-based applications organizations would otherwise need to purchase separately. Epazz’s other products include K9Sky.com kennel software and the Provitrac applicant tracking system.

SAFE HARBOR

This is the “Safe Harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: certain statements contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe” and “continue” (or the negation thereof) or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results or those implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that no forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Epazz Inc. assumes no obligation and has no intention of updating these forward-looking statements. It has no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by Epazz Inc. Investors are encouraged to review Epazz Inc.’s public filings on SEC.gov and otcmarkets.com, including its unaudited and audited financial statements and its OTC market filings, which contain general business information about the company’s operations, results of operations and risks associated with the company and its operations.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact:

Investor Relations
[email protected]
https://twitter.com/epazz?s=20          
(312) 955-8161
www.epazz.com

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via InvestorWire — Tongji Healthcare Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS:TONJ) (“Tongji” or the “Company”) is excited to announce the closing of the acquisition of West of Hudson Group Inc., the sole owner of “The Clubhouse,” a collection of scenic mansions in Southern California that house some of the most prominent and widely followed social media influencers, together carrying an estimated follower base in excess of 90 million. The acquisition closed on Nov. 12, 2020.

On Nov. 2, 2020, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada to amend the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to change the Company’s name from “Tongji Healthcare Group, Inc.” to “Clubhouse Media Group, Inc.,” subject to FINRA’s approval.

“We believe The Clubhouse has significant proprietary value that can be tapped in service of either deals with outside brands or the popularization and expansion of our own in-house branding projects,” commented Amir Ben-Yohanan, Tongji’s CEO.

The Clubhouse is an established network of three social media content creation houses (“Clubhouse BH,” “Clubhouse Europe,” and “Not a Content House”) that has already received organic media coverage from the New York Times, Business Insider and Forbes.

As a result of the acquisition, the Company also acquired West of Hudson Group Inc.’s two operating subsidiaries: WOH Brands, LLC, a content-creation studio, social media marketing company, technology developer, and brand incubator; and Doiyen, LLC, a talent management company that provides representation to Clubhouse influencers.

Management notes that industry trends point to the increasing dominance of social media influencers in establishing market positioning and leadership among new consumer brands, with Zenith recently predicting global social media ad spend to gain 20% in 2020 to reach an estimated $84 billion. According to Zenith’s data, social media advertising will account for 13% of total global ad spend and rank as the third-largest advertising channel, behind TV and paid search. Social media ad spending surpassed print media ad spend last year for the first time ever, according to Zenith. That trend is almost universally expected to continue and even accelerate over coming years.

The Company plans to expand The Clubhouse to additional locations, including internationally, and to continue to aggressively add to its team of popular influencers in the near future.

About Tongji Healthcare

The Company had previously operated Tongji Hospital, a general hospital with 105 licensed beds, offering a variety of medical care treatment areas. However, as a result of the West of Hudson Group Inc. acquisition, the Company is moving entirely into the social media branding marketplace.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by the Company and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management’s current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “will” and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance.

Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for products and services of the company, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report.

Contact
Simon Yu, MBA
Phone: +1-702-479-3016

Wire Service Contact

InvestorWire (IW)
Los Angeles, California
www.InvestorWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
[email protected]

Public Relations:

Tiger Marketing & Branding Agency
[email protected]
www.TigerGMP.com

SCOTTSDALE, AZ, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMMO, Inc. (OTCQB: POWW) (“AMMO” or the “Company”), a premier American ammunition and munition components manufacturer and technology leader, is pleased to provide revenue guidance in the amount of $55 million for its 2021 Fiscal Year, representing year-over-year projected growth of 272%. 

“We are pleased to provide updated revenue guidance for the Company’s fiscal year 2021. AMMO anticipates domestic commercial demand to remain robust through the upcoming year, with military, law enforcement and export orders serving as additional growth drivers in the near future as COVID-19 begins to ease. Given this significant demand, we are increasing our revenue guidance in fiscal 2021 to approximately $55 million, which represents a year-over-year revenue growth rate of 272%,” reported AMMO’s CEO, Fred Wagenhals.

About AMMO, Inc.

AMMO was founded in 2016 with a vision to change, innovate and invigorate the complacent munitions industry. The Company designs and manufactures products for a variety of markets, including law enforcement, military, hunting, sport shooting and self-defense. AMMO promotes its company branded munitions, its patented STREAK^™ Visual Ammunition, /stelTH/^™ subsonic munitions, and O.W.L. Technologies^®. The Company’s corporate offices are headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Manufacturing operations are based in both northern Arizona and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. For more information please visit: www.ammoinc.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This document contains certain “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including, but not limited to, any projections of earnings, revenue or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies, goals and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning proposed new products and services or developments thereof; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; any statements or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.

Forward looking statements may include the words “may,” “could,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue,” “believe,” “expect” or “anticipate” or other similar words, or the negative thereof. These forward-looking statements present our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this report. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made. We do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the dates they are made. You should, however, consult further disclosures and risk factors we include in Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Reports filed on Form 8-K.

Investor Contact:

Rob Wiley, CFO
AMMO, Inc.
Phone: (480) 947-0001
[email protected]

CHICAGO and FAIRFIELD, N.J., Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Transparent Energy, the national leader in online energy procurement, today announced it completed a successful set of online reverse auctions for Revolution Global, a Chicago-based, multi-state cannabis health and wellness company, to power its 75,000 square-foot cannabis cultivation center in Delavan, Illinois. The online auctions attracted six nationally accredited electricity suppliers, resulting in the sale of more than 36 million kWh of electricity over a 36-month term beginning December 1, 2020.

Held on October 2, 2020, the online auctions compared products over 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48-month terms, enabling Revolution Global to clearly price the market and select the right product and term for its business needs. The competitive process, run on the Transparent Energy online auction platform, more than doubled Revolution Global’s supplier pool, leading to stiff competition that delivered more than $120,000 in savings, a 7.1% reduction, over the term.

“Transparent Energy’s strategic procurement was a critical service to our business, helping us save over $100,000 on our energy costs,” said Tripp Murray, CFO, Revolution Global. “Transparent Energy significantly enhanced the supplier pool bidding on our business, working closely with those suppliers to iron out any regulatory hurdles in advance, while also vetting them to ensure strong financial standing. With this large and fiscally-sound competitive field secured, Transparent ran its online auction process, and we watched our saving increase as the field bid down the winning price.”

Added Dustin Scarpa, Managing Partner and Founder of Transparent Energy, “Cannabis cultivation operations offer a very attractive load profile to energy suppliers in that they run 24×7 at a very steady rate of consumption, but from a regulatory and credit perspective there is a lot of work to do up front. That’s where having close working relationships with every reputable supplier helps Transparent Energy better help its clients, no matter their industry. When you have the best supplier relationships, the best research and operations team, and the best online procurement process in the business, you can reliably deliver results like these that impact the client’s bottom line.”

Revolution Global operates a 75,000 square foot state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation center in Delavan, Illinois, with a second 75,000 square foot growing facility scheduled to be completed on Revolution’s 80-acre campus next year.

For more information on Transparent Energy’ risk-free, zero CAPEX energy advisory and procurement services, or to sign up for the company’s monthly market analysis, please contact [email protected].

About Revolution Global

Based in Illinois, Revolution Global is an industry-leading, multi-state cannabis operator that is revolutionizing the way legal cannabis is scientifically designed, grown, sold, packaged, and consumed. Focusing on health and wellness solutions, Revolution uses a best-in-class cultivation process, informed by genetic research, to produce superior cannabis medicine and a wide variety of cannabis-driven consumer packaged goods, from infused products and beverages to topicals. In addition to Illinois, Revolution also operates in Florida, Arkansas and Maryland. For more, visit revolutionenterprises.org.

About
Transparent Energy

Transparent Energy is the go-to resource for C&I companies, institutions, and government agencies for energy procurement and energy advisory services. The company’s clients include large automotive, education, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, municipalities, real estate (REITS and property management), retail, and technology firms. With a proven process delivered by retail energy’s most experienced professionals and state-of-the-art online auction technology, Transparent has driven millions of dollars in operational savings for clients across North America. For more information, see www.transparentedge.com.

Contacts:

Business inquiries:

Jamil Ahmed
[email protected]
(862) 210-8770

Media inquiries:

Dan Mees for Transparent Energy
Mees Communications LLC
[email protected]

Lincoln Zweig for Revolution Global
[email protected]
(202) 906-0292