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Holzer & Holzer, LLC Reminds Shareholders of Imminent Deadlines in Class Action Lawsuits Filed on Behalf of Invivyd, Inc. (IVVD), Ryvyl Inc. (RYVL), and Atlassian Corporation (TEAM) Investors and Encourages Investors With Significant Losses to Contact the Firm

ATLANTA, March 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Holzer & Holzer, LLC reminds investors that class action lawsuits have been filed against Invivyd, Inc. (NASDAQ: IVVD), Ryvyl Inc. (NASDAQ: RYVL), and Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ: TEAM).


Invivyd, Inc.

In the Invivyd, Inc. (“Invivyd” or the “Company”) lawsuit, the deadline to file a lead plaintiff application is April 3, 2023. The lawsuit alleges the Company made false or misleading statements regarding its drug candidate and its effectiveness. To be eligible, investors must have purchased their shares between November 29, 2021 and December 14, 2021, and suffered a loss on the investment. Visit our site at https://holzerlaw.com/case/invivyd/ to learn more about this case.


Ryvyl Inc.

In the Ryvyl Inc. (“Ryvyl” or the “Company”) lawsuit, the deadline to file a lead plaintiff application is April 3, 2023. The lawsuit alleges that certain financial statements issued in 2021 and 2022 contained errors resulting in false or misleading statements in regards to the Company’s business, operations, and prospects. To be eligible, investors must have purchased their shares between January 29, 2021 and January 20, 2023, and suffered a loss on the investment. Visit our site at https://holzerlaw.com/case/ryvyl/ to learn more about this case.


Atlassian Corporation

In the Atlassian Corporation (“Atlassian” or the “Company”) lawsuit, the deadline to file a lead plaintiff application is April 4, 2023. The lawsuit alleges that the Company failed to disclose it was experiencing a slowdown in its business and that it made false or misleading statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects. To be eligible, investors must have purchased their shares between August 5, 2022 and November 3, 2022, and suffered a loss on the investment. Visit our site at https://holzerlaw.com/case/atlassian/ to learn more about this case.

If you bought shares of IVVD, RYVL, or TEAM and you suffered a significant loss on your investment, you are encouraged to discuss your legal rights by contacting Corey Holzer, Esq. at [email protected] or Joshua Karr, Esq. at [email protected], by toll-free telephone at (888) 508-6832, or you may visit the firm’s website at https://holzerlaw.com/.

Holzer & Holzer, LLC, an ISS top rated securities litigation law firm for 2021 and 2022, dedicates its practice to vigorous representation of shareholders and investors in litigation nationwide, including shareholder class action and derivative litigation. Since its founding in 2000, Holzer & Holzer attorneys have played critical roles in recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for shareholders victimized by fraud and other corporate misconduct. More information about the firm is available through its website, https://holzerlaw.com/, and upon request from the firm. Holzer & Holzer, LLC has paid for the dissemination of this promotional communication, and Corey Holzer is the attorney responsible for its content.  

CONTACT:
Corey Holzer, Esq.
(888) 508-6832 (toll-free)
[email protected]



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Brunswick Corporation Named to Newsweek’s Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2023 List

METTAWA, Ill. , March 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), the world’s largest recreational marine technology company, has been named by Newsweek to its 2023 list of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies.  Of the thousands of companies considered for this honor, only 700 made the final list and Brunswick ranked in the Top 20 companies within the Manufacturing and Industrial equipment category. The award recognizes companies across three main public pillars of trust – customer trust, investor trust, and employee trust.

“We are thrilled that Brunswick has been included on Newsweek’s list of Most Trustworthy Companies in America. Awards such as these highlight our progress living the values at the core of our business, and this particular award highlights the openness, trust and integrity we display in dealing with our employees, our customers, and our investors,” said Dave Foulkes, CEO, Brunswick Corporation.

The top 700 Most Trustworthy Companies spanned 23 industries and were chosen based on a holistic assessment of trustworthiness. Those that made the list were identified in an independent survey based on a large sample of approximately 25,000 U.S. residents who rated companies they know on the three touchpoints of trust. A total of 95,000 evaluations were submitted. All companies headquartered in the US with a revenue over $500 million were considered in the study.

Recently, Brunswick has been recognized with numerous national awards highlighting the company’s commitment to employee and customer satisfaction. To learn more about Brunswick’s culture, visit: brunswick.com/our-company, and to view the entire 2023 list of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies, visit: newsweek.com/rankings/most-trustworthy-companies-america-2023.  

About Brunswick

Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) is the global leader in marine recreation, delivering innovation that transforms experiences on the water and beyond.  Our unique, technology-driven solutions are informed and inspired by deep consumer insights and powered by our belief that “Next Never Rests™.” Brunswick is dedicated to industry leadership, to being the best and most trusted partner to our many customers, and to building synergies and ecosystems that enable us to challenge convention and define the future. Brunswick is home to more than 60 industry-leading brands. In the category of Marine Propulsion, these brands include, Mercury Marine, Mercury Racing and MerCruiser. Brunswick’s comprehensive collection of parts, accessories, distribution, and technology brands includes Mercury Parts & Accessories, Land ‘N’ Sea, Lowrance, Simrad, B&G, Mastervolt, RELiON, Attwood and Whale. Our boat brands are some of the best known in the world, including Boston Whaler, Lund, Sea Ray, Bayliner, Harris Pontoons, Princecraft and Quicksilver. Our service, digital and shared-access businesses include Freedom Boat Club, Boateka and a range of financing, insurance, and extended warranty businesses. While focused primarily on the marine industry, Brunswick also successfully leverages its portfolio of advanced technologies to deliver an exceptional suite of solutions in mobile and industrial applications.  Headquartered in Mettawa, IL, Brunswick has more than 18,500 employees operating in 29 countries. In 2022, Brunswick was named by Forbes as a World’s Best Employer and as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek, both for the third consecutive year. For more information, visit brunswick.com.



Michelle
Voss —
 
Sr Manager, Global PR & Media Relations
M: (904) 955 – 0818

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Champion Homes and Quartz Properties Announces Innovative Build-For-Rent Community

Champion Homes and Quartz Properties Announces Innovative Build-For-Rent Community

ASHEVILLE, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Champion Homes and Quartz Properties, industry leading providers of sustainable off-site built homes, are partnering in the development of an innovative build-for-rent modular home community in Asheville, North Carolina. The community, named Belle Meadow, includes 74 homesites and is set in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, less than five miles from vibrant downtown Asheville.

Champion Homes is a longstanding leader in the off-site built industry with over 70 years of homebuilding experience, and 42 manufacturing facilities throughout the US and western Canada. Quartz Properties, the 2022 National Association of Home Builders, Off-site Construction Builder of The Year, is a leader in modular home development and has grown rapidly since its launch in 2017.

This pioneering collaboration drives the modular industry forward by serving as a blueprint for increased modular adoption in the homebuilding space. Belle Meadow will demonstrate the full benefits of modular construction in build-for-rent residential applications.

“We are extremely proud Champion selected Quartz to launch their build-for-rent development platform,” said Joanna Schwartz, CEO of Quartz Properties. “We’ve had a great experience working with Champion to support our other developments in North Carolina and we look forward to strengthening our partnership and bringing Belle Meadow to life.”

The homesites will feature Champion Modular’s Excel brand of homes. Excel Homes’ outstanding quality and customer satisfaction are reflected in over 29,000 Excel Homes that have been built since 1984.

The Belle Meadow single family and semi-detached rental homes are being built off-site in a controlled environment. Based on Champion Modular’s A Smarter Way to Build®, the off-site process delivers less waste and costs, precision quality, and move-in ready homes within a fraction of the time of site-built.

“Our build-for-rent and Manufacture-to-Rent™ homes and services provides developers a turnkey solution at a price point, quality, and speed for today’s market,” said Mark Yost, President and CEO, Skyline Champion. “We are excited to be collaborating with Joanna and the Quartz team on this important community development, it reflects our commitment to our long-term relationship and working together to accelerate and deliver innovative housing across North America.”

Groundbreaking for Belle Meadow is expected in the second quarter of this calendar year. The development is Quartz’s third in the Greater Asheville area and features detached single-family houses and duplexes. Each home has four bedrooms, two or three baths, and averages around 1,600 sq. ft.

For Belle Meadow rental information visit www.QuartzProperties.com

About Skyline Champion Corporation

Skyline Champion Corporation (NYSE: SKY) is the largest independent, publicly traded, factory-built housing company in North America and employs approximately 8,100 people. With more than 70 years of homebuilding experience and 42 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and western Canada, Skyline Champion is well positioned with a leading portfolio of manufactured and modular homes, ADUs, park-models and modular buildings for the single-family, multi-family, and hospitality sectors.

In addition to its core home building business, Skyline Champion provides construction services to install and set-up factory-built homes, operates a factory-direct retail business with 31 retail locations across the United States, and Star Fleet Trucking, providing transportation services to the manufactured housing and other industries from several dispatch locations across the United States.

Skyline Champion builds homes under some of the most well-known brand names in the factory-built housing industry including Skyline Homes, Champion Home Builders, Genesis Homes, Athens Park Models, Dutch Housing, Atlantic Homes, Excel Homes, Homes of Merit, New Era, Redman Homes, ScotBilt Homes, Shore Park, Silvercrest, Titan Homes in the U.S. and Moduline and SRI Homes in western Canada. Learn more about our products and services on the following company brand websites:

Manufactured and Modular Homes

www.championhomes.com

www.excelhomes.com

www.skylinehomes.com

www.genesishomes.com

Park Model RVs

www.athensparkmodelrvs.com

www.skylinepm.com

Star Fleet Trucking

www.starfleettrucking.com

About Quartz Properties:

Quartz Properties is a homebuilder that develops communities of attainably priced, modern residences in growth markets utilizing off-site construction. Launched in 2017, Quartz is expanding quickly and currently has several hundred homes under development. Quartz is fully committed to realizing the cost, time, labor and environmental benefits of off-site construction. Quartz Properties owns and operates Quartz Modular, a modular construction company, and Quartz Transport, a transportation and set business.

For more information visit www.QuartzProperties.com

Investor contact information:

Name: Kevin Doherty

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (248) 614-8211

KEYWORDS: North Carolina United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Residential Building & Real Estate Automotive Construction & Property Recreational Vehicles Urban Planning

MEDIA:

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ARKO Corp. Details Significant Updates Provided to Travel Center of America’s Board on Superior Acquisition Proposal

Superior Proposal of $92 per share backed by additional capacity, underscoring ARKO’s confidence in obtaining financing for a potential transaction

RICHMOND, Va., March 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ARKO Corp. (Nasdaq: ARKO) (“ARKO”), a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest convenience store operators in the United States, today issued a letter to TravelCenters of America’s (NASDAQ: TA) (“TravelCenters”) Board, setting forth additional details of ARKO’s financing in connection with its proposal to acquire TravelCenters, and again asking for TravelCenters’ engagement with ARKO in the sale process.

The letter, as well as a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 29, 2023, discloses a second amendment to ARKO’s Standby Real Estate Purchase, Designation and Lease Program agreement (“Program Agreement”) with Oak Street, a Division of Blue Owl Capital (“Oak Street”), in which Oak Street has agreed, subject to the terms contained in the Program Agreement, to provide for an additional $1.25 billion of capacity specifically to finance ARKO’s acquisition of TravelCenters.

In addition to the additional capacity provided by the amended Program Agreement, ARKO has significant additional liquidity through cash, cash equivalents, and availability under its existing credit lines. ARKO has never required any financing conditions and has closed every acquisition it has put under contract. ARKO’s proposal to TravelCenters offers no financing-related conditions.

TravelCenters’ Board has refused to engage at all with ARKO since ARKO originally submitted, on March 14, 2023, a superior proposal of $92 a share, a nearly 7% premium to the $86 per share price pursuant to TravelCenters’ existing merger agreement with BP Products North America Inc., a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of BP p.l.c. (NYSE: bp). ARKO’s proposal was further improved on March 27, 2023, including ARKO’s willingness to pre-pay $202 million for 11 years of lease payments, using the same discount rate as BP’s proposal, in comparison to BP’s proposal to pre-pay $188 million for 10 years of lease payments.

ARKO believes it is riskless to TravelCenters’ stockholders for TravelCenters’ Board to engage with ARKO, and that doing so could reasonably be expected to lead to a superior proposal. ARKO has retained financial and legal advisors for this transaction and believes this update merits immediate engagement by TravelCenters’s Board, management, and advisors.

ARKO is one of the most acquisitive operators of convenience stores in the United States, with 23 transactions completed since 2013 and one pending and expected to close in the second quarter of 2023. ARKO’s systematic growth strategy has consistently created compelling returns on invested capital.

ARKO’s track record, strong financial position, and confidence in obtaining financing for this transaction should be seriously considered by TravelCenters’ Board and management when assessing whether ARKO’s superior proposal is in the best interests of TravelCenters’ stockholders.

ARKO is prepared to immediately commence confirmatory due diligence and quickly enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger along with the other ancillary arrangements on the same material terms as in the Merger Agreement with BP.

About ARKO Corp.

ARKO Corp. (Nasdaq: ARKO) is a Fortune 500 company that owns 100% of GPM Investments, LLC and is one of the largest operators of convenience stores and wholesalers of fuel in the United States. Based in Richmond, VA, our highly recognizable family of community brands offers delicious, prepared foods, beer, snacks, candy, hot and cold beverages, and multiple popular quick serve restaurant brands. Our high value fas REWARDS® loyalty program offers exclusive savings on merchandise and gas. We operate in four reportable segments: retail, which includes convenience stores selling merchandise and fuel products to retail customers; wholesale, which supplies fuel to independent dealers and consignment agents; fleet fueling, which includes the operation of proprietary and third-party cardlock locations, and issuance of proprietary fuel cards that provide customers access to a nationwide network of fueling sites; and GPM Petroleum, which sells and supplies fuel to our retail and wholesale sites and charges a fixed fee, primarily to our fleet fueling sites. To learn more about GPM stores, visit: www.gpminvestments.com. To learn more about ARKO, visit: www.arkocorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, the timing, scope, terms, conditions and completion of a potential ARKO transaction to acquire certain businesses and assets of TravelCenters, the anticipated benefits of the potential transaction and other statements other than historical facts. These forward-looking statements are distinguished by use of words such as “anticipate,” “aim,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” and the negative of these terms, and similar references to future periods. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to, among other things, changes in economic, business and market conditions; the Company’s ability to maintain the listing of its common stock and warrants on the Nasdaq Stock Market; changes in its strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; expansion plans and opportunities; changes in the markets in which it competes; changes in applicable laws or regulations, including those relating to environmental matters; market conditions and global and economic factors beyond its control, including the potential resurgence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; negotiations (or lack thereof) regarding the potential transaction with TravelCenters; and the outcome of any known or unknown litigation and regulatory proceedings. Detailed information about these factors and additional important factors can be found in the documents that the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Additional Important Information and Where to Find It

This document does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. This document relates to a proposal which ARKO Corp. has made for a business combination transaction with TravelCenters of America, Inc. In furtherance of this proposal and subject to future developments, ARKO, (and, if a negotiated transaction is agreed, TravelCenters) intends to file relevant materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including, if required, a proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”). IF SUCH A TRANSACTION WERE TO OCCUR,ARKO STRONGLY ADVISES ALL SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Any definitive Proxy Statement will be delivered to the stockholders of TravelCenters. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of these documents (if and when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by ARKO through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

Participants in the Solicitation

ARKO, and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of TravelCenters common stock in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about ARKO’s directors and executive officers is available in ARKO’s proxy statement, dated April 27, 2022, filed with the SEC in connection with ARKO’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders. Except as disclosed above, regarding the proposed transaction, to the knowledge of ARKO, none of its directors or executive officers has any interest, direct or indirect, by security holdings or otherwise, in TravelCenters. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the Proxy Statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC in respect of the proposed transaction when they become available.



Media Contact
Andrew Petro
Matter on behalf of ARKO
(978) 518-4531
[email protected]

Investor Contact
Ross Parman
ARKO Corp.
[email protected]

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Humana and Thomas Jefferson University Announce Collaboration to Advance Health Equity and Community Health in Greater Philadelphia

Humana and Thomas Jefferson University Announce Collaboration to Advance Health Equity and Community Health in Greater Philadelphia

LOUISVILLE, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Humana (NYSE: HUM) announced an endowed and immediate use gift of $15 million to Thomas Jefferson University, nationally ranked nonprofit research university, to advance community health and health equity, and to support Jefferson’s population health efforts. Humana is working with community partners nationwide to improve health outcomes for populations that have been disenfranchised and marginalized, in areas like Greater Philadelphia and neighboring regions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230329005348/en/

The Humana Insights for Action Fund will be established in support of the Jefferson Collaborative for Health Equity. The fund, through a $3 million commitment, will deploy data analytics and advance research to expand focused interventions, narrow health disparities and improve access to care for patients. It will also enhance community engagement activities and access to health resources in underserved populations alongside other key partners and bolster evaluation of health equity and population health efforts, aligning to Humana’s larger health equity efforts.

Humana’s $12 million endowment will establish three priority positions at Jefferson: Humana Deanship in the College of Population Health, Humana Professorship of Community Health and Equity, and Humana Chief Community Health and Equity Officer, each focused on improving population health and advancing health equity in the region.

“Our focus at Humana is influencing and enabling an equitable healthcare ecosystem so that every person has a fair, just and dignified opportunity to reach their full health potential,” said J. Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH, Chief Health Equity Officer & Senior Vice President at Humana. “We are honored to partner with Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health to further the important health equity efforts of this organization. This collaboration demonstrates our shared commitment to advancing community health and health equity and co-creating solutions to address challenges for populations that have historically been marginalized and underserved in healthcare.”

Like many major cities in the U.S., Philadelphia has lower health outcomes and area private-public partnerships – academic medical centers, health systems and the nation’s first College of Population Health – are working to improve lives. With the addition of Humana’s robust support, these equity efforts will be amplified throughout the region and beyond.

Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Jefferson, which, in addition to Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, also includes Health Partners Plans, expressed gratitude for Humana’s generosity, which will help the organization further fulfill its mission of improving lives.

“Advancing health equity is core to our mission at Jefferson and we look forward to implementing the Humana Insights for Action Fund to enhance our efforts to address health disparities,” Dr. Cacchione says. “This incredible gift will not only bolster the Jefferson College of Population Health, which was established in 2008 as the country’s first college of population health, but will advance health-equity projects and programming across our entire health system.”

This endowment by Humana builds on its longstanding commitment to advancing health equity to improve health for its members, patients, and communities by helping to remove structural barriers, improve access to high-quality care and address social needs that influence health.

About Jefferson

Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey, is more than 43,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow’s professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, a professions-focused, national research university with a growing global footprint, is home of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce and the Jefferson College of Population Health, and dates back to 1824. Today comprises 10 colleges and four schools offering 200 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,400 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top healthcare systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia area, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 18 hospitals (10 are Magnet® designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence) and over 50 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Health Partners Plans is a not-for-profit managed healthcare organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

About Humana

Humana Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large.

To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:

– Annual reports to stockholders

– Securities and Exchange Commission filings

– Most recent investor conference presentations

– Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls

– Calendar of events

– Corporate Governance information

Lindsay Wehr

Corporate Communications

Humana Inc.

(502) 528-5450

e-mail: [email protected]

Brian Hickey

Senior Manager, News and Media

Thomas Jefferson University

(267) 582-5570

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Pennsylvania Kentucky

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: University Education Professional Services Other Health Health Philanthropy General Health Other Philanthropy Health Insurance Insurance Other Education

MEDIA:

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Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference returns June 5, 2023

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference returns June 5, 2023

Entire conference available online for all developers, with a special in-person experience at Apple Park on June 5

Submissions for the Swift Student Challenge are open now through April 19

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Apple® today announced it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in an online format from June 5 through 9, 2023, with an opportunity for developers and students to celebrate in person at a special experience at Apple Park on opening day. Free for all developers, WWDC23 will spotlight the latest iOS, iPadOS®, macOS®, watchOS®, and tvOS® advancements. As part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to helping developers create innovative apps, the event will also provide them with unique access to Apple engineers, as well as insight into new technologies and tools to help them realize their visions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230329005364/en/

(Graphic: Business Wire)

(Graphic: Business Wire)

“WWDC is one of our favorite times of the year at Apple because it’s an opportunity to connect with the talented developers from around the globe who make this community so extraordinary,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “WWDC23 is going to be our biggest and most exciting yet, and we can’t wait to see many of you online and in person at this very special event!”

Along with announcements shared from the keynote and State of the Union presentations, this year’s online program will include sessions, one-on-one labs, and opportunities to engage with Apple engineers and other developers. Developers and students will also have the opportunity to attend a special day at Apple Park on June 5 to watch the keynote and State of the Union, alongside the global online community. Space for this in-person event will be limited, and details on how to apply to attend can be found on the Apple Developer site and app.

WWDC23 is also an opportunity to support student developers through the Swift Student Challenge, one of many Apple programs that seek to elevate developers and learners of all ages who love to code. With the help of Swift Playgrounds®— a revolutionary app for iPad® and Mac® that makes learning the Swift® programming language interactive and fun — students from around the world are invited to create an app playground on a topic of their choice. Submissions for this year’s challenge are now open, and students can submit their work through April 19. For more information, visit the Swift Student Challenge website.

Apple will share additional conference information in advance of WWDC23 through the Apple Developer app and on the Apple Developer website.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom (www.apple.com/newsroom), or email Apple’s Media Helpline at [email protected].

© 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, Swift Playgrounds, iPad, Mac, and Swift are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Apple Media Helpline

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: California United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Software Internet Technology University Apps/Applications Primary/Secondary Education Mobile/Wireless

MEDIA:

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(Graphic: Business Wire)
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ComEd Reminds Customers of Options to Help Pay and Lower Cost of Electric Bills

ComEd Reminds Customers of Options to Help Pay and Lower Cost of Electric Bills

ComEd solutions can help customers save money, energy, and the environment

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
As many communities continue to experience financial difficulty due to economic challenges, ComEd reminds customers to contact the energy company for support in paying electric bills now and lowering future bills.

“One of our missions at ComEd is to make our customers aware of the multiple ways they can save money on their electric bills,” said Melissa Washington, ComEd’s chief customer officer and senior vice president of customer operations. “Recognizing that these are trying times, ComEd encourages customers to explore all the assistance options to help keep up with past-due electric bills and take advantage of offerings that can help reduce energy consumption – and electric bills – for the life of their homes. We’re here to help our customers every step of the way.”

ComEd works with community action agencies across northern Illinois to help connect customers with bill-assistance options that will get them back on track with their utility bill payments.

“The Community and Economic Development Association (CEDA) is committed to working with Cook County communities to provide utility bill assistance through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). CEDA has over 75 Partner Intake Sites located around Cook County,” said Latoya Butler, CEDA’s energy service director.

Bill Assistance Programs:

There are a variety of financial assistance and payment options available to help customers manage their energy bills, including:

  • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and ComEd’s Supplemental Arrearage Reduction Program (SARP), which is available to ComEd residential customers who qualified to receive energy-assistance benefits from LIHEAP.
  • ComEd’s new Your Neighbor Fund, which is funded by donations from ComEd’s 6,300 employees to provide another source of grants to help limited-income families pay their ComEd bill.
  • A flexible deferred payment arrangement of up to 12 months for eligible residential customers with past-due balances. Make a down payment on the amount owed and pay the rest through installments in addition to your regular monthly bill.
  • Budget billing, which provides a predictable monthly amount due based on your electricity usage from the last 12 months.
  • Flexible payment options like 21-day extensions on a customer’s due date.
  • High-usage alerts, which let customers know when their usage is trending higher than normal to help manage overall energy use, and energy-management tips to save money now and on future energy bills.

Home Energy Savings

To help residential customers manage future electric bills, the award-winning ComEd Energy Efficiency Program offers a variety of services and incentives that can help ComEd customers manage energy use in their homes.

The first step in finding options that work for them is to sign up for a free Home Energy Savings assessment. An assessment is designed to improve the energy efficiency of a home and lower its energy costs, while enhancing the comfort of those who live within it.

Homeowners and renters, with their landlord’s permission, receive a free review of their home – either in-person or virtually – to identify areas for energy savings. An energy advisor will collect information about a home’s energy features by looking at its lighting, heating, and cooling systems, water heaters and appliances. Customers then receive free and discounted energy-saving products plus personalized recommendations for saving money and energy.

By signing up for a Home Energy Savings assessment, customers can lower their energy costs and improve energy efficiency in their homes. The average customer saves over $125 a year on utility bills because of the energy-saving products installed during or after the visual assessment.

Through Home Energy Savings assessments, customers have saved more than 129 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, which is enough energy to power more than 15,000 ComEd customers’ homes. The offering helped reduce from the air more than 109 million pounds of carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, which is the equivalent of removing nearly 11,000 cars off the road for one year or planting nearly 60,000 acres of trees.

To make it easier for families and individuals to find bill-assistance and energy-savings options that best fit their needs, ComEd encourages customers to use its Smart Assistance Manager (SAM), an online self-service tool that matches customers with programs that can help them manage their electric bills now and into the future. Customers can access SAM at ComEd.com/SAM.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

ComEd Media Relations

312-394-3500

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AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of CVS Health Corporation’s Aetna Inc. Subsidiaries

AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of CVS Health Corporation’s Aetna Inc. Subsidiaries

OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a” (Excellent) of Aetna Life Insurance Company (ALIC) (Hartford, CT) and the other members of Aetna Health & Life Group, which are operating entities of Aetna Inc. (Aetna) and wholly owned subsidiaries of CVS Health Corporation (CVS Health) [NYSE: CVS]. The outlook of the FSR is stable, while the outlook of the Long-Term ICR is positive. (Please see below for a detailed listing of the companies.)

Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of “a” (Excellent) of Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Company, as well as Texas Health + Aetna Health Plan Inc. Both companies are domiciled in Arlington, TX, and collectively referred to as Texas Health Aetna. In addition, AM Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of “a” (Excellent) of Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company (St. Louis Park, MN). Texas Health Aetna and Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company are joint ventures with subsidiaries of Aetna Inc. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings of Aetna Health & Life Group reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

The positive outlook on the Long-Term ICR for Aetna Health & Life Group reflects the strengthening of its risk-adjusted capitalization, which remains at the strongest level, as measured by Best Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Capital expansion in recent years has been supported by strong earnings and lower dividends paid to the parent. The growth of its absolute level of capital and surplus exceeded premium growth, a trend that has been continuing over the last few years. Additionally, the share of high-risk investments –commercial mortgage loans and BA assets –continued to decrease further contributing to improved risk-adjusted capitalization.

The balance sheet strength is supported by good overall liquidity measures, which is further enhanced by the access to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, borrowing at the largest insurance company within the Aetna Health & Life Group, Aetna Life Insurance Company. Furthermore, the quality of capital is good as the group does not have any debt.

Premium development over the last three years has been driven by the expansion of Aetna’s government business in Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicaid, which composed three quarters of total membership through year-end 2022. Medicaid’s double-digit growth over the last two years is attributed to the relaxation of eligibility checks, known as redeterminations, which have been suspended until April 2023. Medicaid enrollment is expected to moderate during 2023 and into early 2024. However, with Aetna’s expansion in the individual public health exchanges during 2022, the contraction in Medicaid might be offset partially by growth in the individual segment. Premium growth has impacted operating earnings trends favorably over the last three years. While claims experience has fluctuated, resulting in improved loss ratios in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 before increasing in 2021 due to higher-than-expected COVID-19-related medical costs, overall profitability metrics have improved. Despite the recent volatility, which was largely attributable to COVID-19, the Aetna Health & Life Group has reported underwriting and net income of $2 billion in each of the last five years, with one-year return on equity (ROE) exceeding 20% and one-year operating return on revenue (ROR) in the 5-7% range.

Aetna remains one of the leading players in the managed care markets throughout the United States. While Aetna’s government segments have experienced significant membership growth, the company remains competitive in its other segments. The relationship with CVS Health adds a competitive advantage, as some Aetna insurance products emphasize affiliated MinuteClinic as a low-cost provider of primary care services.

The ratings of Aetna Health & Life Group reflect the ultimate parent, CVS Health, and an expectation of elevated leverage due to the recently announced acquisitions. The financial leverage at CVS Health has declined to 41% at year-end 2022 as part of the organization’s deleveraging efforts. However, financial leverage is expected to increase during 2023 as CVS Health is expected to finance a portion of two recently announced acquisitions, Signify Health and Oak Street Health, which are both expected to close this year. Goodwill to shareholders equity exceeded 100% at year-end 2022, which is likely to increase upon the close of Signify Health and Oak Street Health. While AM Best recognizes that these acquisitions are part of the organization’s health care services strategy, as with any transaction there is execution risk.

The ratings of Texas Health Aetna reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile, appropriate ERM and support of its parents. During 2022, the joint venture’s risk-adjusted capitalization improved, supported by net income of approximately $10 million. Marking the first year of profits, net income was supported by underwriting gains and lower amortization of intangibles.

The ratings of Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as adequate, as well as its marginal operating performance, limited business profile, appropriate ERM and support of its parents. The joint venture’s net results continue to be negative as the amortization of intangibles exceeded underwriting income. However, underwriting results in 2022 were positive for the first time since inception, primarily driven by growth in its Medicare segment.

The FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of “a” (Excellent) have been affirmed, with a stable outlook for the FSR and a positive outlook for the Long-Term ICR, for the following members of Aetna Health & Life Group:

  • Aetna Life Insurance Company
  • Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company
  • Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd.
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a Connecticut corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a Florida corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a Georgia corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a New Jersey corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a New York corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a Maine Corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a Pennsylvania corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (a Texas corporation)
  • Aetna Health Inc. (LA)
  • Aetna Health Insurance Company
  • Aetna Health Insurance Company of New York
  • Aetna Better Health of Florida, Inc.
  • Aetna Health of California Inc.
  • Aetna Health of Iowa Inc.
  • Aetna Health of Utah Inc.
  • Aetna Dental of California Inc.
  • Aetna Dental Inc. (a New Jersey corporation)
  • Aetna Dental Inc. (a Texas corporation)
  • American Continental Insurance Company
  • Accendo Insurance Company
  • Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood, Tennessee
  • Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company
  • Aetna Better Health of Michigan, Inc.
  • Aetna Better Health of Missouri LLC
  • Coventry Health Care of Illinois, Inc.
  • Coventry Health Care of Kansas, Inc.
  • Coventry Health Care of Missouri, Inc.
  • Coventry Health Care of Nebraska, Inc.
  • Coventry Health Care of Virginia, Inc.
  • Coventry Health Care of West Virginia, Inc.
  • First Health Life & Health Insurance Company
  • HealthAssurance Pennsylvania, Inc.
  • SilverScript Insurance Company

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Antonietta Iachetta

Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5792

[email protected]

Christopher Sharkey

Associate Director, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

[email protected]

Sally Rosen

Senior Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5280

[email protected]

Al Slavin

Senior Public Relations Specialist

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Europe United States North America New Jersey

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Insurance Professional Services

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NextDecade to Establish Permanent Conservation at the Las Lomas Area

NextDecade to Establish Permanent Conservation at the Las Lomas Area

HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
NextDecade Corporation (NextDecade) (NASDAQ: NEXT) plans to acquire from the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) 1,500 acres of the Las Lomas ecological preserve as part of its ongoing sustainability and community commitments tied to the Rio Grande LNG (RGLNG) project. NextDecade’s commitments include habitat mitigation, wetland restoration, emissions reductions, and community investments.

On March 15, 2023, BND unanimously voted to pass a resolution to preserve the Las Lomas area located within the 40,000 acres of the Port of Brownsville. Upon the announcement of a positive final investment decision on the RGLNG project, NextDecade will acquire 1,500 acres of the Las Lomas preserve and establish a permanent conservation easement, protecting the acreage in perpetuity.

As part of the RGLNG overall mitigation plan, NextDecade plans to conserve more than 4,000 acres including:

  • 1,500 acres at the Las Lomas preserve;
  • 1,531 acres of property known as the Miradores Mitigation Site, of which approximately 371 acres will be restored to wetlands and the remaining acreage will be restored to native thorn scrub habitat; and
  • 1,050 acres of land associated with the Dulaney Farms tract, which was protected in coordination with The Conservation Fund in 2021 to expand the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge ocelot habitat area.

The more than 4,000 acres included in NextDecade’s mitigation plan are equivalent to five times the 761 acres of land directly impacted by the RGLNG export terminal.

Additional details about NextDecade’s environmental stewardship, safety, and community commitments, are available at next-decade.com/esg.

About NextDecade Corporation

NextDecade Corporation is an energy company accelerating the path to a net-zero future. Leading innovation in more sustainable LNG and carbon capture solutions, NextDecade is committed to providing the world access to cleaner energy. Through our wholly owned subsidiaries Rio Grande LNG and NEXT Carbon Solutions, we are developing a 27 MTPA LNG export facility in South Texas along with one of the largest carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in North America. We are also working with third-party customers around the world to deploy our proprietary processes to lower the cost of carbon capture and storage and reduce CO2 emissions at their industrial-scale facilities. NextDecade’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “NEXT.” NextDecade is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit www.next-decade.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. The words “anticipate,” “contemplate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “target,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “can have,” “likely,” “continue,” “design,” “assume,” “budget,” “guidance,” and “forecast” and other words and terms of similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and these statements may relate to the business of NextDecade and its subsidiaries. These statements have been based on assumptions and analysis made by NextDecade in light of current expectations, perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and projections about future events and trends and involve a number of known and unknown risks, which may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks include NextDecade’s progress in the development of its LNG liquefaction and export projects and CCS projects and the timing of that progress; the timing of achieving a final investment decision on the Rio Grande LNG terminal (the “Terminal”); reliance on third-party contractors to successfully complete the Terminal, the pipeline to supply gas to the Terminal and any CCS projects; ability to develop NCS’ business though implementation of CCS projects; ability to secure additional debt and equity financing in the future to complete the Terminal and CCS projects on commercially acceptable terms; accuracy of estimated costs for the Terminal and CCS projects; ability to achieve operational characteristics of the Terminal and CCS projects, when completed, including liquefaction capacities and amount of CO2 captured and stored, and any differences in such operational characteristics from expectations; development risks, operational hazards and regulatory approvals applicable to NextDecade’s development, construction and operation activities and those of its third-party contractors and counterparties; technological innovation which may lessen NextDecade’s anticipated competitive advantage or demand for its offerings; global demand for and price of LNG; availability of LNG vessels worldwide; changes in legislation and regulations relating to the LNG and CCS industries, including environmental laws and regulations that impose significant compliance costs and liabilities; scope of implementation of carbon pricing regimes aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions; global development and maturation of emissions reduction credit markets; adverse changes to existing or proposed carbon tax incentive regimes; global pandemics, including the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, other sources of volatility in the energy markets and their impact on NextDecade’s business and operating results, including any disruptions in its operations or development of the Terminal and the health and safety of its employees, and on its customers, the global economy and the demand for LNG; risks related to doing business in and having counterparties in foreign countries; NextDecade’s ability to maintain the listing of our securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market or another securities exchange or quotation medium; changes adversely affecting the businesses in which NextDecade is engaged; management of growth; general economic conditions; ability to generate cash; and the result of future financing efforts and applications for customary tax incentives; and other matters discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of NextDecade’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, any development of the Terminal or CCS projects remains contingent upon completing required commercial agreements, securing all financing commitments and potential tax incentives, achieving other customary conditions and making a final investment decision to proceed. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak as of the date of this release. Although NextDecade believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations will prove to be correct. NextDecade may from time to time voluntarily update its prior forward-looking statements, however, it disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by securities laws.

[email protected]

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Texas Europe United States North America Asia Pacific

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Professional Services Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Other Energy Environment Oil/Gas Sustainability Energy

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PACCAR Recognizes Top Performing Suppliers in North America

PACCAR Recognizes Top Performing Suppliers in North America

BELLEVUE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
PACCAR utilizes its comprehensive Supplier Performance Management program (SPM) to evaluate supplier achievements in the areas of product development, operations and aftermarket support, and alignment with PACCAR’s key business objectives.

Each year, PACCAR recognizes its top performing suppliers in the SPM program. This honor is given to suppliers that reach the SPM Master, Leader and Achiever status. The SPM program drives collaboration and continuous improvement between PACCAR and its suppliers which leads to performance enhancements and product innovations.

“PACCAR is pleased to recognize and congratulate our suppliers who earned a SPM award for 2022. Supplier commitment to SPM creates strong relationships with PACCAR, its customers and its dealers,” said Brennan Gourdie, PACCAR Vice President of Global Purchasing.

The 2022 SPM Masters are:
   

Rago and Son, Inc. based in Oakland, CA

   

The 2022 SPM Leaders are:
   

ConMet (Castings)

 

Horton, Inc.

Cummins Emissions Solutions

 

MEC

Cummins, Inc.

 

Metalsa S.A. de C.V.

GRA-MAG Truck Interiors, LLC

 

Superior Trim

   

The 2022 SPM Achievers are:
   

ConMet (Plastics)

 

Michelin North America Inc.

ConMet (Wheel Ends)

 

NIC Global

Drive Automotive Industries of America, Inc.

 

Pana-Pacific Corporation

Inteva Products, LLC

 

Paramont Mfg LLC

Lincoln Industries

 

PKC Group North America

Link Manufacturing, Ltd.

 

 

“Strong performance from our key suppliers is instrumental to PACCAR’s success. We value the commitment suppliers have given PACCAR and the investments they’ve made,” said Darrin Siver, PACCAR Executive Vice President.

PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced powertrains, provides financial services and information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.

Ken Hastings

(425) 468-7530

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Washington

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Machine Tools, Metalworking & Metallurgy General Automotive Aftermarket Automotive Other Manufacturing Trucking Engineering Chemicals/Plastics Automotive Manufacturing Transport Other Automotive Manufacturing

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