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ICM announces agreement with Lakeview Plymouth Energy to upgrade distillation system

Colwich, Kan., April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ICM, Inc., has signed an agreement with Lakeview Plymouth Energy, LLC, to upgrade the ethanol producer’s distillation system and convert its high-pressure distillation system to ICM’s proprietary lower-temperature vacuum distillation.

 

“Reducing column fouling and CIP needs are two important goals we want to achieve,” said Eamonn Byrne, Lakeview Plymouth Energy CEO. “We are looking forward to working with ICM to increase our plant uptime while reducing operating costs.”

 

With this process optimization, ethanol plants with Delta-T technology and other high-pressure distillation plants have an opportunity to lower the cost of producing each gallon of ethanol, improve performance and increase overall efficiency.

 

“Designed by ICM, this process optimization delivers many benefits such as decreasing energy usage, decreasing downtime associated with CIP of the beer column and evaporators, decreasing syrup production, improving Hunter and carbon intensity scores, and lowering operating costs,” said Jeff Scharping, ICM Director of Sales.

 

The project is expected to be completed in 5 months. This installation represents the seventh distillation system upgrade performed by ICM.

 

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About ICM, Inc.

Established in 1995 and headquartered in Colwich, Kan., with a regional office in Brazil, ICM provides innovative technologies, solutions, and services to sustain agriculture and to advance renewable energy, including ethanol and feed technologies that will increase the supply of world protein. By providing proprietary process technologies to over 100 facilities globally with a combined annual production of approximately 8.8 billion gallons of ethanol and 25 million tons of distiller grains, ICM has become a world leader in bio-refining technologies. For additional information, visit www.icminc.com.

 

About Plymouth Energy, LLC

Plymouth Energy, LLC, (PE) was established in 2006 in order to design, build, own and operate an ethanol plant in Plymouth County. Located in Merrill, Iowa, PE is 20 miles northeast of Sioux City in the heart of some of the Corn Belt’s most productive corn-producing land. Operating from this location, the plant is well-positioned to serve local markets as well as markets in the South and southwestern United States as well as numerous export markets. PE has a nameplate 55-MGY undenatured ethanol plant and also produces approximately 170,000 tons (at 11%M.) of wet (WDG) and dried distillers grains (DDGS) for sale to livestock and feedlot operations in the local market area . For more information, visit www.plymouth-energy.com.

 



Adriana Albornoz
ICM
3167960900
[email protected]

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Opendoor to Report First Quarter 2021 Financial Results on May 11, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Opendoor Technologies Inc. (“Opendoor”) (Nasdaq: OPEN), a leading digital platform for residential real estate, today announced that it will report first quarter 2021 financial results for the period ended March 31, 2021, following the close of the market on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. On that day management will host a conference call and webcast at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) to discuss the company’s business and financial results.

What: Opendoor First Quarter 2021 Earnings Conference Call
When: Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Time: 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET)
Live Webcast: A live webcast of the call can be accessed from the Events and Presentations page of the investor relations website, https://investor.opendoor.com

Replay: An archived webcast of the conference call will be available on Opendoor’s investor relations website for one year following the live call athttps://investor.opendoor.com

About Opendoor

Opendoor’s mission is to empower everyone with the freedom to move. Since 2014, Opendoor has provided people across the U.S. with a radically simple way to buy, sell or trade-in a home. Opendoor operates in a growing number of markets across the U.S.

For more information, please visit www.opendoor.com.

Contacts

Investors:

Whitney Kukulka
The Blueshirt Group
[email protected]

Media:

Sheila Tran / Charles Stewart
Opendoor
[email protected]



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Walgreens Makes Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Self Test Available Over-The-Counter at Stores Nationwide

Walgreens Makes Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Self Test Available Over-The-Counter at Stores Nationwide

Test to be available for $23.99 without a prescription, to allow for greater access to testing, and together with vaccines, help to restore a sense of safety in everyday settings where people gather

DEERFIELD, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
As part of Walgreens ongoing efforts to increase access to COVID-19 testing in communities across the U.S., the company announced today it has entered into an agreement with Abbott to sell the BinaxNOW™ Rapid Antigen Self Test over-the-counter in Walgreens stores nationwide. Beginning this week, this test will be available for purchase on Walgreens.com, and later this week, it will be available for purchase in-store, for curbside pick-up, and same day delivery. This test will be available nationwide for $23.99(MSRP).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210419005269/en/

BinaxNOW™ Rapid Antigen Self Test (Photo: Business Wire)

BinaxNOW™ Rapid Antigen Self Test (Photo: Business Wire)

“Even as vaccines become more widely available, COVID-19 testing remains a critical tool to keep our communities safe. The addition of this over-the-counter test in-store will help ensure our customers have access to testing solutions when and how they need it – at home or at one of our conveniently located testing sites,” said John Standley, president, Walgreens. “Working with Abbott and other partners, Walgreens now offers the most comprehensive suite of COVID-19 diagnostic testing options in America, helping encourage consistent, widespread testing.”

Walgreens has made significant strides to increase on-site COVID-19 testing capacity at more than 5,500 Walgreens pharmacies, with more than half of these locations located in socially vulnerable areas. By May, Walgreens will expand testing to 6,000 drive-thru testing sites with half of these sites offering the no-cost, rapid Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test. This announcement builds upon Walgreens commitment to provide greater access to testing, helping reduce the spread of COVID-19 and improve the health of communities.

“The BinaxNOW Self Test opens the door for Americans to buy an accurate and affordable test on their own terms, when and where they need it,” said Andrea F. Wainer, executive vice president of Abbott’s rapid and molecular diagnostics business. “Together with vaccines and like-minded partners such as Walgreens, we can help people get back to doing what they love – like spending time with friends and family.”

Customers can self-administer the test collection using a short nasal swab (not the deep and invasive nasopharyngeal swab) and check test results in 15 minutes. The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Test is the most studied rapid antigen in the U.S., having first been approved in the U.S. for professional use in August 2020. The Self Test is the identical format and technology as the professional test and will come in a two-count box to meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) serial (frequent) testing requirements for non-prescription, over-the-counter purchase.

According to the manufacturer’s instructions for use, people using the test should test themselves twice with at least 36 hours between tests. The test can be used on children as young as two years old when samples are collected by an adult and for all people aged 15 years or older. Individuals who test negative should continue to stay cautious, including following social distancing, hand washing and wearing a mask. Individuals who test positive are encouraged to follow the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, which is to communicate your results to your healthcare provider, who is responsible for reporting your test results to the state health department.

On March 31, 2021, Abbott received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for over-the-counter, non-prescription, asymptomatic use of its BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Test for detection of COVID-19 infection. This new indication allows individuals with or without symptoms to have access to this test without a prescription. Walgreens is one of the first mass retailers to make Abbott’s test widely available for purchase.

The BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Antigen Self Test is a lateral flow immunoassay intended for the qualitative detection of nucleocapsid protein antigen from SARS-CoV-2 from individuals with or without symptoms or other epidemiological reasons to suspect COVID-19 infection when tested twice over three days with at least 36 hours between tests. This test is authorized for non-prescription home use with self-collected direct anterior nasal (nares) swab samples from individuals aged 15 years or older or adult collected anterior nasal swab samples from individuals aged two years or older.

The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag tests have not been FDA cleared or approved. They have been authorized by the FDA under an emergency use authorization. The tests have been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens, and are only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail and wholesale pharmacy. As America’s most loved pharmacy, health and beauty company, Walgreens purpose is to champion the health and well-being of every community in America. Operating more than 9,000 retail locations across America, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health destination serving approximately 8 million customers each day. Walgreens pharmacists play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system by providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. To best meet the needs of customers and patients, Walgreens offers a true omnichannel experience, with platforms bringing together physical and digital, supported by the latest technology to deliver high-quality products and services in local communities nationwide.

Emily Mekstan

Walgreens Media Relations

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Illinois United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Retail Medical Devices Health Infectious Diseases Convenience Store Pharmaceutical

MEDIA:

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BinaxNOW™ Rapid Antigen Self Test (Photo: Business Wire)
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LPL Financial Welcomes Walnut Beech Advisors

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial LLC (Nasdaq:LPLA) today announced that Walnut Beech Advisors has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, corporate registered investment advisor (RIA) and custodial platforms. The team reported having served approximately $550 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets*. They join from Royal Alliance, part of the Advisor Group network of broker-dealers.

Led by OSJ manager Tim Maurer and Managing Partner Rick Betancourt, the newly-formed enterprise comprises of 20 like-minded financial professionals committed to putting their clients first. The team was associated at their previous firm and recognized the value of teaming up in an effort to provide more comprehensive wealth management and financial services for their clients. The new firm name, Walnut Beech Advisors, represents the streets where their offices are located in Rochester, Mich., and Long Beach, N.Y.

All in at LPL Financial

The team has been moving to LPL in waves since last fall, with its final advisor joining this month. They said the new partnership with LPL offers more freedom and independence to share ideas and work together on client cases. It also opens up the ability to co-brand as a tax-focused OSJ group, where they can work closely with CPAs and enrolled agents who complement their investment strategies and financial plans.

“As a millennial advisor, I’m really excited about how much LPL invests in innovative technology. My clients are requiring more and more sophisticated digital capabilities, and the ability to easily access their accounts and information from any device. We are confident LPL will be able to keep up with the latest tools and resources available,” Betancourt said. “We’ve already been able to incorporate some of the newer technologies to help streamline our business.”

Now that the team is fully onboard, its leaders are planning for future growth and expansion. “This new partnership with LPL allows us to deepen our business continuity and succession planning,” Maurer said. “I am fortunate to work with many of my mentors. I want them to feel secure that their clients are in good hands so that they can enjoy the later stages of their distinguished careers.”

Ken Hullings, LPL Financial senior vice president and head of enterprise recruiting, said, “We extend a warm welcome to Tim, Rick and the entire Walnut Beech team, and we congratulate them on the launch of their new OSJ group. They were looking for a partner with stability that is highly committed to supporting their success and future growth. By making ongoing investments in technology, service, wealth management resources and business solutions, LPL can help our advisors maximize the value of their practice and address the evolving needs of their clients. We look forward to a long-lasting and productive partnership with the financial professionals at Walnut Beech Advisors.”

Read about other firms that recently joined LPL in the LPL Financial News and Media section of LPL.com.

Advisors, find an LPL business development representative near you.


About LPL Financial


LPL Financial (https://www.lpl.com) is a leader in the retail financial advice market, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer** and a leading custodian (or provider of custodial services) to RIAs. We serve independent financial advisors, professionals and financial institutions, providing them with the technology, research, clearing and compliance services, and practice management programs they need to create and grow thriving practices. LPL enables them to provide objective guidance to millions of American families seeking wealth management, retirement planning, financial planning and asset management solutions.

*Based on prior business and represents assets that would have been custodied at LPL Financial, rather than third-party custodians. Reported assets and client numbers have not been independently and fully verified by LPL Financial.

**Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine June 1996-2020.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC, an SEC- registered broker-dealer and investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. 

Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.

Walnut Beech Advisors and LPL Financial are separate entities. LPL Financial does not offer tax advice or tax related services.

Connect with Us!

https://twitter.com/lpl

https://www.linkedin.com/company/lpl-financial

https://www.facebook.com/LPLFinancialLLC

https://www.youtube.com/user/lplfinancialllc


Media Contact:


Lauren Hoyt-Williams
(980) 321-1232
[email protected]



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Zoom Announces $100 Million Zoom Apps Fund

New Venture Fund to Stimulate Innovation in the Zoom Apps Ecosystem

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) today announced the Zoom Apps Fund, a new $100 million venture fund created to stimulate growth of Zoom’s ecosystem of Zoom Apps, integrations, developer platform, and hardware. Portfolio companies will receive initial investments between $250,000 and $2.5 million to build solutions that will become core to how Zoom customers meet, communicate, and collaborate. Zoom Apps, announced at Zoomtopia 2020, are leading applications that will bring productivity and engaging experiences directly into the Zoom platform.

Dozens of Zoom Apps are currently in development and are an important component in building the future of video communications. The Zoom Apps Fund will invest in developer partners with viable products and early market traction that will provide valuable and engaging experiences to our customers.

“I founded Zoom in 2011, nearly ten years ago. Without the support of early investors, Zoom would not be what it is today,” said Eric S. Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom. “What I’ve learned over the past year is that we need to keep meetings productive and fun. My hope is that the Zoom Apps Fund will help our customers meet happier and collaborate even more seamlessly, and at the same time help entrepreneurs build new businesses as our platform evolves.”

To learn more about the Zoom Apps Fund visit zoom.com/fund and read our recent blog post.

About Zoom

Zoom is for you. We help you express ideas, connect to others, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom.

Zoom Press Contact

Colleen Rodriguez
Global PR Lead
[email protected] 



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One Year Later, Testing Remains Important

One Year Later, Testing Remains Important

BENTONVILLE, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Walmart’s Julie Barber, Senior Vice President of Health & Wellness Merchandising released the following note Monday:

“One year ago, I was leading the testing rollout for our associates as the pandemic brought us so many unknowns, but our goal was to keep our associates and customers informed, healthy and safe. Now, one year later, we have COVID-19 vaccines available and nearly 200 million Americans have received at least one shot; we know face coverings help prevent the spread; and we know testing still remains important.

“Testing, whether at community testing sites or providers, is crucial to tell if individuals are infected to help keep our communities safe, allow us to travel and to hug and see loved ones while still following CDC guidance to keep ourselves and others safe. There also are multiple, authorized home test kits available, making testing even more convenient and accessible.

“I am excited that today we are adding the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test to the assortment we are selling on Walmart.com and in stores now for $19.88 for the kit. This test, which is packaged in a kit with two tests per box, is intended for testing twice over three days via nasal swab with at least 36 hours between tests. The test detects proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19. This kit delivers results in 15 minutes.

“Today, Walmart continues to play a vital role in helping reopen the country and end the pandemic. We are administering COVID-19 vaccines in more than 5,100 locations in 51 jurisdictions, and we are supporting more than 500 testing sites across the country that have tested hundreds of thousands of people. From the day we were first asked, and it was apparent testing was a key element in the fight to combat the pandemic, our goal was to help provide increased access to testing in our communities. We continue to find innovative ways to do just that, and this is just one more way we continue to play a role in the health of our communities.”

The BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Antigen Self Test has not been FDA cleared or approved. It has been authorized by the FDA under an emergency use authorization. It has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens, and is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner.

Marilee McInnis

800-331-0085

KEYWORDS: United States North America Arkansas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Online Retail Retail Health Discount/Variety Infectious Diseases Pharmaceutical

MEDIA:

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Cytonome cell sorter aids in Parkinson’s treatment clinical trial

Bedford, Mass., April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cell sorting technology leader and innovator Cytonome-ST, LLC, has assisted Japanese pharmaceutical firm Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. to produce enough human stem cells to proceed with a clinical trial of a new treatment aimed at curing Parkinson’s Disease. Cytonome-ST  is a biotechnology instrument design company and subsidiary of biotechnology, bioelectronics, and bioinformatics leader and innovator STgenetics.

 

 

Cytonome has developed the most advanced parallel microfluidic cell sorting and cell handling technologies in the world and produces the GigaSort® GMP cell sorting platform, the only parallel microfluidic cell sorter capable of effectively processing the large volumes required of cellular therapeutics in a gentle and efficient manner.

 

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. has reached an important milestone to provide manufactured iPS cell derived dopaminergic progenitor cells to Kyoto University Hospital for an investigator-initiated clinical study by Kyoto University and CiRA to evaluate the safety and efficacy of iPSC-derived dopaminergic progenitors in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease (http://neurology.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp/index.html).

 

This cellular therapy involves a special type of human cells which can become stem cells. Stem cells can change into different cell types including neurons or brain cells. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma increases the quantity of neurons through cell culture expansion. Not all cells produced through this method are suitable for therapeutic treatment, so they must be separated from suitable cells using the GigaSort® platform. After separation, suitable cells are implanted into the brain of a Parkinson’s patient, which is known as cell replacement therapy.

 

Toru Kimura, Representative Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, comments, “This technique is very unique and plays one of the important roles in our manufacturing activities.”

 

John Sharpe, Cytonome-ST Chief Operating Officer, said, “We are very excited to be able to support Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma’s manufacturing process. We believe that this ground-breaking trial, if successful, has the potential to help many patients and families around the

world that are effected by Parkinson’s disease, and we feel privileged to play a part in collaboration with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma.”

 

About Cytonome-ST, LLC

 

Based in Bedford, MA, Cytonome-ST develops advanced solutions in cell purification and cell handling for the bioprocessing, industrial, and life science research markets. With deep engineering expertise in the cytometry field and a strong intellectual property portfolio, Cytonome-ST aims to develop products that simplify existing cell handling workflows and that enable transformational cell-based outcomes.

Based in Navasota, Texas, STgenetics uses transformational technology to create products and services for animal protein producers to achieve sustainability and production goals.

Check with local and national authorities for any license, approval, or clearance requirements in using GigaSort® technologies for the development of commercial therapies. In the USA, the GigaSort® system is for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures without appropriate FDA approvals.

For more information on Cytonome-ST and the GigaSort® GMP cell sorting platform, please visit www.cytonome.com. For more information on STgenetics, go to www.STgen.com.

 

-30-



John Sharpe, COO
Cytonome-ST
617-697-7339
[email protected]

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CentralReach Announces Partnership with Spectrum Support Scholarship Fund

Program aims to bring more autistic adults into the ABA industry

Fort Lauderdale, FL, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CentralReach, the market-leading electronic medical record (EMR), practice management, and clinical solutions provider for applied behavior analysis (ABA) and related behavioral health practices, is proud to announce its new partnership with the Spectrum Support Scholarship fund.

Founded by Joy Johnson, M.Ed, M.S., BCBA, LBA, the scholarship fund provides participating autistic adults with free Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) training, certification, and employment placement to bring more autistic adults into the ABA field to participate in the intervention planning and implementation for autistic children. And as part of the new partnership, CentralReach will deliver its 40-hour RBT course free to all participants.

“Joy and Spectrum Support are delivering on a wonderful mission that will further the inclusion movement with the ABA space and something that aligns directly with CentralReach’s values. It was a no-brainer for us to partner with her and give what we could to ensure autistic voices play a central role in the future of ABA,” said CentralReach CEO, Chris Sullens. “Given the growth the industry has seen to date and the increase in the number of both clinicians and RBTs delivering care, the industry will benefit greatly from programs like Joy’s and I am certain that this is only the start of the client-first approach.”

Johnson, who is autistic herself, has benefited greatly from ABA therapy but has also seen how outdated practices that some professionals enforce such as prohibiting a behavior that is used for self-soothing can cause greater harm. With more autistics in the field, ABA organizations can more quickly work towards sustainable developments that will validate autistic voices, eliminate harm, and place the autistic community values and perspectives as a priority in determining social validity and ethics of practices in everyday operations.

“In my efforts and contributions to academia, I also vow to do all that I can to engage in research that focuses on the key stakeholders that are the currently overlooked — Autistic people,” said Johnson. “It is my hope that the efforts to engage the broader autism community will have advantages that directly translate into research findings that spur concrete changes in clinical practices. The scholarship fund is just the start of this change and I’m thrilled that CentralReach is donating its RBT course to support this important initiative.”

Johnson is also actively working on educating and arming parents and children with the information they need to know to ensure care is provided in a manner that ensures the goals and treatments properly respond to the interests and entitlements of the autistic person in an effort to reduce the dissemination of misinformation around the ethical ambiguity of ABA.

For more information about the Spectrum Scholarship fund, visit https://joyfjohnson.com/.

More information about CentralReach can be found at https://centralreach.com/. 

 

About CentralReach

CentralReach is a leading provider of EMR, practice management and clinical solutions that enable applied behavior analysis (ABA) and related behavioral health practices to deliver quality autism care for superior outcomes. The company is revolutionizing the ABA space with cutting-edge solutions including precision teaching, clinical data collection, scheduling, billing, learning management, fully digital evidence-based programming and more.

Trusted by more than 100,000 clinicians and educators, CentralReach is committed to ongoing product improvement, market-leading industry expertise, world-class client satisfaction, and support of the ABA community to propel industry practitioners into a new era of excellence. For more information, please visit CentralReach.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.



Lernard Freeman
CentralReach
[email protected]

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SIOS Technology Named a 2021 Product of the Year Award Winner by Cloud Computing Magazine

SIOS Protection Suite Recognized for Exceptional Innovation

COLUMBIA, S.C. and SAN MATEO, Calif., April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SIOS Technology Corp., an industry leader in application high availability and disaster recovery, today announced that TMC, a global, integrated media company, has awarded SIOS Protection Suite a 2021 Product of the Year Award, presented by Cloud Computing Magazine.

SIOS Protection Suite provides the automated, reliable high availability and disaster protection businesses need to run their business-critical applications in cloud, hybrid, and multicloud environments as well as on-premises. In cloud environments, such as AWS EC2, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, SIOS clustering enables application-aware cluster failover across cloud regions and availability zones for protection from local, area, and regional disasters.

SIOS Protection Suite includes application recovery kits that provide application-specific intelligence for a wide range of complex applications and databases such as SQL Server, SAP, HANA, and Oracle.

“We are very pleased to be recognized with this prestigious industry award,” said Masahiro Arai, Chief Operating Officer, SIOS Technology. “For more than 20 years, SIOS has focused on providing intelligent, automated application high availability and disaster recovery, regardless of operating system, platform or environment. By automating manual tasks and validating user inputs, SIOS Protection Suite simplifies the configuration and management of failover clustering in complex application environments and ensures application-specific best practices are maintained throughout the failover process.

“Congratulations to SIOS for being honored with a Cloud Computing Product of the Year Award,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. “SIOS Protection Suite is truly an innovative product and is amongst the best solutions available within the past twelve months that facilitates business-transforming cloud computing and communications. I look forward to continued excellence from SIOS in 2021 and beyond.”

Tweet this: @SIOSTech named 2021 Product of the Year #Award Winner by Cloud Computing Magazine #HA #HighAvailability #Cloud https://bit.ly/2QqJNbe

About SIOS Technology Corp.

SIOS Technology Corp. high availability and disaster recovery solutions ensure availability and eliminate data loss for critical Windows and Linux applications operating across physical, virtual, cloud, and hybrid cloud environments. SIOS clustering software is essential for any IT infrastructure with applications requiring a high degree of resiliency, ensuring uptime without sacrificing performance or data – protecting businesses from local failures and regional outages, planned and unplanned. Founded in 1999, SIOS Technology Corp. (https://us.sios.com) is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with offices worldwide.

SIOS, SIOS Technology, SIOS DataKeeper, SIOS LifeKeeper, Clusters Your Way, and associated logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of SIOS Technology Corp. and/or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Cloud Computing Magazine

Cloud Computing magazine is the industry’s definitive source for all things cloud – from public, community, hybrid and private cloud to security and business continuity, and everything in between. This quarterly magazine published by TMC assesses the most important developments in cloud computing not only as they relate to IT, but to the business landscape as a whole.

About TMC

Through education, industry news, live events and social influence, global buyers rely on TMC’s content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. As a result, leading technology vendors turn to TMC for unparalleled branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities. Our in-person and online events deliver unmatched visibility and sales prospects for all participants. Through our custom lead generation programs, we provide clients with an ongoing stream of leads that turn into sales opportunities and build databases. Additionally, we bolster brand reputations with the millions of impressions from display advertising on our news sites and newsletters. Making TMC a 360-degree marketing solution, we offer comprehensive event and road show management services and custom content creation with expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, @tmcnet.

SIOS Technology Contact:

Beth Winkowski
Winkowski Public Relations, LLC for SIOS
978-649-7189
[email protected] 

TMC Contact:        
Michelle Connolly
Marketing Manager
203-852-6800, ext. 170
[email protected]



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BlackRock Announces Closing of Reorganizations of Six Municipal Closed-End Funds

BlackRock Announces Closing of Reorganizations of Six Municipal Closed-End Funds

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
BlackRock Advisors, LLC today announced that the reorganizations of each of BlackRock Maryland Municipal Bond Trust (“BZM”, CUSIP: 09249L105), BlackRock Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Trust (“MHE”, CUSIP: 09258E109), BlackRock MuniYield Arizona Fund, Inc. (“MZA”, CUSIP: 09254K109), BlackRock MuniYield Investment Fund (“MYF”, CUSIP: 09254R104), BlackRock MuniEnhanced Fund, Inc. (“MEN”, CUSIP: 09253Y100) and BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund, Inc. (“MQY”, CUSIP: 09254F100 and collectively with BZM, MHE, MZA, MYF and MEN, the “Funds”) is effective as of the opening for business of the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, April 19, 2021.

In the Reorganizations, common shareholders of BZM, MHE, MZA, MYF and MEN received an amount of MQY common shares equal to the aggregate net asset value of their holdings of BZM, MHE, MZA, MYF and MEN common shares as determined at the close of business on April 16, 2021. Fractional shares of MQY common shares were not issued in the Reorganizations and consequently cash will be distributed for any such fractional shares.

Relevant details pertaining to the Reorganizations are as follows:

Fund

Ticker

Net Asset

Value/Share

($)

Share Conversion Ratio

BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund, Inc.

MQY

16.5997

N/A

BlackRock Maryland Municipal Bond Trust

BZM

15.2204

0.91690814

BlackRock Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Trust

MHE

13.8011

0.83140659

BlackRock MuniYield Arizona Fund, Inc.

MZA

14.8068

0.89199202

BlackRock MuniYield Investment Fund

MYF

14.7296

0.88734134

BlackRock MuniEnhanced Fund, Inc.

MEN

12.4294

0.74877257

In addition, BZM, MHE, MZA, MYF and MEN preferred shareholders received on a one-for-one basis MQY preferred shares in an amount equal to the aggregate preferred share liquidation preference held by BZM, MHE, MZA, MYF and MEN preferred shareholders immediately prior to the Reorganizations.

This communication is not intended to, and shall not, constitute an offer to purchase or sell shares of any of the BlackRock funds, including MQY, the surviving fund in the Reorganization. Investors should consider MQY’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully and consider in its entirety the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus relating to the Reorganizations, which contains important information regarding the investment objectives and policies, risks, charges, expenses and other important information about MQY.

About BlackRock

BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com | Twitter: @blackrock | Blog: www.blackrockblog.com | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock

Availability of Fund Updates

BlackRock will update performance and certain other data for the BlackRock closed-end funds on a monthly basis on its website in the “Closed-end Funds” section of www.blackrock.com as well as certain other material information as necessary from time to time. Investors and others are advised to check the website for updated performance information and the release of other material information about the Funds. This reference to BlackRock’s website is intended to allow investors public access to information regarding the Funds and does not, and is not intended to, incorporate BlackRock’s website in this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, and other statements that BlackRock or the Funds may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to the Funds’ or BlackRock’s future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “trend,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “pipeline,” “believe,” “comfortable,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “current,” “intention,” “estimate,” “position,” “assume,” “outlook,” “continue,” “remain,” “maintain,” “sustain,” “seek,” “achieve,” and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or similar expressions.

BlackRock cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and BlackRock assumes no duty to and does not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.

With respect to the Funds, the following factors, among others, could cause actual events to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: (1) changes and volatility in political, economic or industry conditions, the interest rate environment, foreign exchange rates or financial and capital markets, which could result in changes in demand for the Funds or in the Funds’ net asset value; (2) the relative and absolute investment performance of the Funds and its investments; (3) the impact of increased competition; (4) the unfavorable resolution of any legal proceedings; (5) the extent and timing of any distributions or share repurchases; (6) the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; (7) the impact of legislative and regulatory actions and reforms, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies relating to the Funds or BlackRock, as applicable; (8) terrorist activities, international hostilities, health epidemics and/or pandemics and natural disasters, which may adversely affect the general economy, domestic and local financial and capital markets, specific industries or BlackRock; (9) BlackRock’s ability to attract and retain highly talented professionals; (10) the impact of BlackRock electing to provide support to its products from time to time; and (11) the impact of problems at other financial institutions or the failure or negative performance of products at other financial institutions.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and other regulatory filings of the Funds with the SEC are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.govand on BlackRock’s website at www.blackrock.com, and may discuss these or other factors that affect the Funds. The information contained on BlackRock’s website is not a part of this press release.

BlackRock Closed-End Funds

1-800-882-0052

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