Market Newsdesk

Toronto, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GreenMantra Technologies is pleased to announce our partnership with HARKE GROUP to distribute our products in Europe.   GreenMantra is an innovation leader that utilizes its advanced recycling technology to create unique specialty polymers and synthetic waxes from discarded plastics. HARKE GROUP is a leading distributor of specialty chemicals in Europe and will provide sales, marketing, and logistical support throughout Europe and the UK for GreenMantra’s sustainable polymer additives.

GreenMantra is entering the European market soon after the EU adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan, one of the main components of the European Green Deal, which targets the entire lifecycle of products to ensure that sustainable products become the norm in the EU. A key tenet of the plan is for producers to incorporate as much recycled material as possible, replacing prime material while reducing or eliminating single-use plastics.

This EU mandate for a circular economy strongly aligns with GreenMantra’s mission to upcycle discarded plastics into higher value polymers that improve performance. GreenMantra’s materials are used in a diverse range of industrial applications including plastic compounds, extruded and injection molding parts, and asphalt roofing products. In each application, the additives enhance manufacturing efficiency and allow manufacturers to greatly increase the recycled content of their end products without sacrificing performance or profitability

“We are excited to collaborate with HARKE to introduce our sustainable specialty polymers and synthetic waxes to the European market. This partnership enables GreenMantra to strengthen our global presence and expand our ability to divert plastics from our landfills and oceans.” says Jodie Morgan, chief executive officer of GreenMantra.

“At HARKE GROUP we are continuously seeking new materials to support our customers in their mission to drive sustainable innovation and create a circular economy for plastics, without sacrificing quality. We are delighted to add GreenMantra’s line of high-performance additives to our portfolio. This is the latest step in our journey to build our specialty range for sustainable raw materials. Our experienced colleagues from Coatings, Plastics & Polymers team look forward to providing extensive services for the plastic segment ranging from the development process to technical consulting during the test period through smooth raw materials delivery,” says Thorsten Harke, president of HARKE GROUP.

ABOUT HARKE GROUP

HARKE GROUP is a powerful chemical and plastics distributor with a strong footprint in Europe and Asia. For more than 50 years, the Group is #ConnectingWorldMarkets on 4 continents, in more than 50 countries, for more than 30 industries through its skilled technical sales, formulation and logistics experts in 16 subsidiaries. The broad portfolio of high-quality products from solid principals covers the areas of Life Sciences, Home & Personal Care, I&I, Chemistry, Coatings, Plastics & Polymers, Plastic Products, Packaging & Services and Imaging. With a proven track record, 3 laboratories, 2 contract packing sites and more than 40,000 deliveries per year HARKE is taking over full responsibility along the whole value chain according to its principle #OnePartnerOneResponsibility. As family-owned company in the 2nd generation with business relationships that exist in part as long as the group itself and the passion of its employees #TheRightChemistry is more than just a hashtag for HARKE, but rather a lived corporate philosophy. The company group offers effective, sustainable and dependable solutions agile and fast!

ABOUT GREENMANTRA

GreenMantra
Technologies is a leader in advanced recycling that transforms recycled plastics into value-creating specialty waxes and polymers. GreenMantra’s products are used as performance enhancers and processing aids in roofing, asphalt roads, extruded plastic parts and other construction infrastructure applications with useful lifespans of 20-50+ years. In each application, GreenMantra improves product performance, provides a more efficient manufacturing process, and allows manufacturers to greatly increase the recycled content of their end products without sacrificing performance. GreenMantra is diverting thousands of metric tons annually of waste plastic from our oceans and landfills into new applications. 

Englewood, CO, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Spring kicks off this weekend, which signals the start of spring cleaning for many households across the United States. A recent Harris Poll survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults found that nearly nine out of 10 Americans (86%) feel more relaxed when they have a clean home. The survey, which was commissioned by Bona^®, a global, sustainably-driven company that supplies products for installing, renovating, maintaining and restoring premium floors, also found that 86 percent agree having a clean home makes them feel better about spending more time at home.

When prioritizing the aspects or areas of their home they plan to focus on when spring cleaning (i.e. doing a seasonal deep cleaning between March and May), the top areas Americans identified in the survey are de-cluttering/organizing (42%) and floors/carpets (41%). Interestingly, these same two areas make up two of the top three areas that are most hated by Americans to clean, with the first being bathrooms, followed by de-cluttering/organizing and floors/carpets.

“Spring cleaning is a time when we focus on deep cleaning and areas we don’t generally prioritize throughout the year – we like to think of it as a reset,” said Andy Telatnik, Director of Marketing – Retail, Bona. “In this survey, we found that not only are floors one of the top areas people plan to focus on for spring cleaning, but it’s also one of the areas people dislike cleaning most. Yet, we know that with the right tools and solutions, cleaning those hardwood and hard surface floors doesn’t have to be difficult.”

The 2021 Bona Spring Cleaning Poll, conducted online by Harris Poll in February 2021, is timely with the first day of spring this weekend. Other survey highlights include:

• Feeling clean: When asked about how they feel when cleaning their home, “productive” (56%), “relieved” (42%), “happy” (40%), “in control” (36%), and “peaceful” (34%) were the top five responses, with “annoyed” (11%) and “unenthused” (12%) on the lower end of the spectrum.
• COVID cleaning: Over 2 in 5 U.S. adults are now cleaning less in comparison to the first few months of the pandemic.
• Men vs. Women: Women tend to focus spring cleaning more on de-cluttering and men tend to focus more on the garage/basement. In addition, women are nearly twice as likely as men to say they hate cleaning floors (11% versus 6%).
• Renters vs. owners: In the survey, renters noted that cleaning gives them a sense of control/empowerment in their space, with nearly half saying they feel relieved (48%) and over 2 in 5 saying they feel in control (43%) when they clean (versus 40 percent and 36 percent of homeowners, respectively). When spring cleaning, renters tend to focus on common areas like kitchens and bathrooms, whereas homeowners are more likely to focus on basements.
• Generational divide: Respondents in the 18-44 category are more likely to feel “overwhelmed” and “annoyed” than older age groups when cleaning. In addition, nearly 1 in 5 younger adults ages 18-34 feel stressed when cleaning, signaling a distaste for cleaning among the younger generations. On the other end of the spectrum, de-cluttering/organizing is most hated by adults 55+.
• Streamlining: More than 2 of 3 U.S. adults (68%) wish they could better streamline their cleaning routine, which is even higher in the 35-44 age group.
• 2021 renovations: Beyond spring cleaning, more than half of U.S. adults (56%) said they are planning to renovate or upgrade some aspect of their home in the next 12 months. The top three projects planned are paint a room, replace or refinish floors/carpet, and renovate a bathroom.

With floors identified as one of the biggest areas of focus for spring cleaning this year, Bona’s 100-years of experience in floors can offer the best tips and tools for sparkling clean floors.  

• Dust/dry mop first: Use a microfiber mop such as the Bona Premium Microfiber Mop for Multi-Surface Floors to gently remove dust, pet hair and debris from the floor. Be aware that vacuums may scuff or damage a floor
• Spray mop floors: Use a spray mop with a cleaning solution specifically designed for your floor type like Bona’s suite of floor cleaning product. For hardwood, avoid DIY vinegar solutions or steaming the floors to avoid damage or a dull, cloudy appearance. Excess liquid may also damage the floor, so leave the mop and bucket for other tasks.
• Deep cleaning: For spring cleaning, consider using a deep cleaning solution such as Bona PowerPlus® Hardwood Floor Deep Cleaner or Bona PowerPlus® Antibacterial Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner. Both these cleaning solutions offer an extra level of streak-free clean without harsh chemicals or odor.

About Bona US

Bona is an innovative, environmentally-conscious company dedicated to creating beautiful floors since 1919. Bona US, the North American subsidiary of BonaAB in Malmö, Sweden, manufactures and distributes floor and home care products. The first in the industry to offer a full system of waterborne hardwood floor finishing and floor care products certified for indoor air quality by GREENGUARD, Bona products can be found throughout the U.S. and Canada. From residue-free hardwood floor cleaners to a beautiful array of stains and high durability finishes, consumers, distributors and contractors trust Bona. For more information, please contact Bona US at (800) 872- 5515 or www.bona.com.

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Bona from February 23-25, 2021 among 2,032 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Heather Lindemann at (800) 872-5515.

Attachments

• Bona Spring Cleaning 2021-sm
• Bona Spring Cleaning 2021-2

SUNNY ISLES, Fla., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bespoke Extracts, Inc. (OTC Pink: BSPK), producer of high quality, hemp-derived CBD products, today announced that Mike “Platinum” Perry, professional mixed martial artist (MMA), has joined the Company’s crew of brand ambassadors responsible for promoting Bespoke’s brand and growing line of high quality CBD formulations.

After completing 11 amateur fights with a record of 8-3, Perry made his professional debut in September 2014. In the first two years of his professional career, he fought nine battles and finished all of his opponents via knockout or technical knockout. He began fighting for the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the Welterweight division in 2016 and currently boasts a record of 11 wins by knockout and three wins by decision.

Active on Instagram and Twitter with nearly 600,000 and 150,000 followers, respectively, Perry is the latest elite athlete to be welcomed to Bespoke’s brand ambassador program. According to Perry, “I need fuel to keep going with my rigorous training regimen. Bespoke Extracts’ products are the perfect solution. They are a key part of my routine now.”

Danny Pollack, Chief Executive Officer of Bespoke Extracts, stated, “Our growing team of prolific brand ambassadors plays an important role in aiding Bespoke to build awareness of our high quality CBD formulations and build credibility and authority of our brand among their many fans and followers. Like our other valued ambassadors, Mike Perry invests in his training and recovery and overall health and wellness to ensure he is optimally fit to compete. The fact that he has introduced Bespoke’s products into his daily life speaks volumes about the quality and trust our hemp-derived CBD products imbue.”

In separate news, the Company announced that it has begun accepting pre-orders of its new Manuka Honey + CBD product line in its ecommerce store, found at https://bespokeextracts,.com/collections/all. Pre-orders are expected to be shipped on or before March 30, 2021.

About Bespoke Extracts, Inc.

At Bespoke Extracts, we believe in the power of the individual. So, we strive to tailor each CBD experience to make its benefits unique to you and your lifestyle. That means making sure you are confident that everything we deliver to you is safe, effective, and perfect for you. From the very beginning, we have hand-picked our producers to ensure only NSF-certified and USDA-certified organic hemp from some of the finest CBD growers in the United States. It is also why we use the industry standard for extraction to ensure the purest and most potent product on the market. And finally, it is why we strive to develop a long-term personal relationship with each and every one of our customers — including you — to help them determine their needs and wants and supply the exact right solution for them. For more information, please visit www.bespokeextracts.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management’s current expectations include those risks and uncertainties relating to our competitive position, the industry environment, potential growth opportunities, and the effects of regulation and events outside of our control, such as natural disasters, wars or health epidemics. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

No statement in this press release has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of Bespoke’s products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from healthcare practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any Bespoke Extract product. Bespoke Extracts, Inc. shall not be held liable for any medical claims made by customer testimonials.

For more information, please contact:

Bespoke Extracts, Inc.

Phone: 888-575-6738
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.bespokeextracts.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/05e0b3cc-c5e6-4295-865b-192a8e9cfe44

FULTON, Md., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sonatype, the leader in developer-friendly tools for software supply chain management and security, today unveiled the next-generation Nexus platform offering customers full-spectrum control of the cloud-native software development lifecycle including: third-party open source code, first-party source code, infrastructure as code (IaC), and containerized code. 

“As software development teams race forward to deliver new digital innovations, software supply chain management and security has been ushered to center stage,” says Wayne Jackson, CEO, Sonatype. “Over the past six months, we’ve been working hard to expand our Nexus platform to deliver full-spectrum support to all application building blocks — not just open source — and truly enable developer productivity. As developers take on more responsibility for containers, code, and infrastructure, our mission is to make their lives easier while they make great software.”

The expansion comes amid continued record growth for Sonatype including a 118% rise in ARR from 2018-2020. The company now counts 70% of the Fortune 100 as customers and supports more than 2,000 commercial engineering teams. Further, in 2020 Sonatype experienced 35% annual growth in Nexus Repository installs, which now total more than 250,000 instances. Today, the combination of Sonatype’s commercial and open source tools are trusted by nearly 15 million developers around the world. 

Software Supply Chain Management: A Developer Friendly and Full-Spectrum Approach

Building upon the world’s most popular artifact repository – Nexus Repository – and its best-in-class software composition analysis duo — Nexus Lifecycle and Nexus Firewall, the company is delivering the world’s first developer-friendly and full-spectrum platform for strengthening cloud-native software supply chains with:

• Muse:  A cloud-native source code analysis solution helping developers catch and fix performance, reliability, and security bugs during code review. Muse delivers 24 pre-configured code analyzers to automatically assess each developer pull request and then report any bugs as comments in code review. Full details on Sonatype’s acquisition of Muse are available here.
   
• Nexus Container:  A developer-friendly container security solution providing continuous visibility into the composition, and management of, containers from development, to delivery, to run time. Nexus Container, powered by NeuVector, also protects organizations from new open source zero-day vulnerabilities (e.g. Apache Struts, OpenSSL) using an innovative Layer7 firewall to virtually patch containers in the wild, which buys the development team valuable time as they work to patch the application in code.

• Infrastructure as Code Pack: The Infrastructure as Code Pack delivers out-of-the-box guidance to assist developers configuring cloud infrastructure and foster compliance with privacy and security standards (e.g., CIS Foundations Benchmarks, GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, PCI, SOC 2). Integrated with Nexus Lifecycle, the pack will make it possible for developers to find and easily fix misconfigurations in Terraform plans before they are applied to production infrastructure. To ensure continuous IaC compliance in production environments leveraging the same policy sets, Sonatype announced a strategic partnership with Fugue.

• Advanced Legal Pack: The forthcoming Advanced Legal Pack will improve visibility into open source license obligation for software development and legal teams. The pack is expected to significantly reduce the time spent reviewing each new application release, ensuring development velocity is not hampered as the use of open source components continues to grow exponentially.
• Nexus Community:  As part of Sonatype’s unwavering commitment to the open source and developer communities, we’ve created advanced migration support for open source projects scrambling to find homes on the heels of Bintray and JCenter sunsetting. Open source projects can easily migrate their packages to a free Nexus Repository instance and/or Maven Central host.

  As an added bonus to community members, Sonatype recently upgraded its free security analysis report — making it available to any open source project hosting code on Maven Central as part of its OSSRH service.  This migration support aims to ensure developers experience no downtime or build delays for their software supply chains that rely on public code repositories.

These newly announced offerings come on the heels of Sonatype’s recently released Advanced Development Pack that delivers a real-time rating system to help developers select the best open source component suppliers and reduce variability in version choices. Backed by Nexus Intelligence, it also boosts visibility to early-stage software supply chain attacks and alerts development teams to the new adversarial threats.

“With high profile attacks on software supply chains making headlines the world over, enterprises are moving to harden their development infrastructure against attackers. As important as the task is, however, technology leaders don’t want to solve this problem with a complicated patchwork quilt of services, solutions and providers – they want an integrated, end to end solution,” said Stephen O’Grady, Principal Analyst with RedMonk. “This is precisely the opportunity that Sonatype is targeting with its full-spectrum approach.”

Additional Resources:

• Read the latest blog from Sonatype’s co-founder and CTO, Brian Fox
• Read more about Sonatype’s Acquisition of MuseDev
• Learn more about Nexus Container
• Learn more about the Infrastructure as Code Pack for Nexus Lifecycle 
• Meet Muse during our March 31st webinar with Brian Fox and Stephen Magill
• Try Muse on GitHub today

About Sonatype:

Sonatype is the leader in developer-friendly, full-spectrum software supply chain management providing organizations total control of their cloud-native development lifecycles, including third-party open source code, first-party source code, infrastructure as code, and containerized code. The company supports 70% of the Fortune 100 and its commercial and open source tools are trusted by 15 million developers around the world. With a vision to transform the way the world innovates, Sonatype helps organizations of all sizes build higher quality software that’s more aligned with business needs, more maintainable, and more secure. 

Sonatype has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in the world, two years in a row, and has been named to the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 5000 lists for the past five years. For more information, please visit Sonatype.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn

New Offering Brings New Levels of Efficiency and Expertise to Small Vendor Risk Management Teams and Programs

CONCORD, Mass., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ProcessUnity, a leading provider of risk and compliance management software solutions, today introduced ProcessUnity VRM Essential Edition, a new version of its flagship vendor risk management software aimed at helping smaller organizations identify and remediate risks posed by third-party service providers. This newest offering combines ProcessUnity’s award-winning automation tools with a complete baseline program that automates vendor onboarding, due diligence and ongoing monitoring.

“Small and medium-sized businesses that want to move beyond simple ‘check-the-box’ compliance to a true, risk-reducing third-party management program have limited options when it comes to software – either it’s too expensive or the functionality is limited,” said Ed Thomas, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations at ProcessUnity. “ProcessUnity VRM Essential Edition combines our best automation tools and an out-of-the-box best-practice program to instantly advance organizations’ programs at an easy-to-justify price point.”

ProcessUnity VRM Essential Edition is a turnkey offering that provides small and mid-size organizations with unparalleled insight into their third-party risk posture. With it, organizations can replace spreadsheet-based third-party risk management or first-generation tools with a world-class program developed and perfected through hundreds of customer implementations. The ProcessUnity platform deploys in a few short weeks and allows organizations to efficiently address the entire third-party lifecycle with a wide array of cutting-edge capabilities that:

• Centralize Onboarding: Third-party risk managers can easily determine vendor criticality and confidentiality risk levels using pre-built inherent risk scoring. Automated assessments replace the need for traditional spreadsheet-based vetting processes, eliminating time-wasting queries during vendor onboarding.
• Accelerate Due Diligence: ProcessUnity enforces objectivity via a standardized pre-contract vendor due diligence process. Due diligence scoping allows third-party managers to evaluate vendors against compliance, contractual and security requirements.
• Automate Assessments: Automated assessments and SIG-based assessment questionnaires aid third-party managers in distributing relevant question sets to appropriate vendors, tracking distribution and completion records and meeting critical timelines. ProcessUnity Vendor Risk Management delivers posture analysis on a per-question basis, reducing review time and reducing vendor fatigue.
• Improve Executive & Regulatory Reporting: Extensive built-in reports provide real-time visibility into the state of third-party risk. Interactive dashboards give visibility into ongoing risk assessment progress, the status of remediation activity and vendor performance ratings. Drill-down capabilities also allow risk managers to quickly find the details in areas of concern.

Pricing and Availability

ProcessUnity VRM Essential Edition is available now for organizations under $250 million in annual revenue and financial institutions with under $1 billion in assets under management. The annual software subscription starts at $15,000.

ProcessUnity Vendor Risk Management protects companies and their brands by reducing risks from third-party vendors and suppliers. ProcessUnity helps customers effectively and efficiently assess and monitor both new and existing vendors – from initial due diligence and onboarding through termination. Through automation and standardization, ProcessUnity customers reduce busy work, streamline regulatory reporting and improve overall visibility into vendor performance.

About ProcessUnity

ProcessUnity is a leading provider of cloud-based applications for risk and compliance management. The company’s software as a service (SaaS) platform gives organizations the control to assess, measure, and mitigate risk and to ensure the optimal performance of key business processes. ProcessUnity is used by the world’s leading financial service firms and commercial enterprises. The company is headquartered outside Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, visit http://www.processunity.com.

TAMPA, Fla., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ConnectWise, the leading provider of intelligent software and expert services for technology solution providers (TSPs), today announced the dates and locations for its 2021 IT Nation events. Of the four conferences, two will be onsite with a hybrid virtual option to expand access to all who are interested in the content and community but unable to attend in person.

Kicking off the 2021 event calendar is IT Nation Secure, which will be offered in both virtual and in-person conference formats. The in-person event will take place in Orlando, Fla. Like last year’s inaugural event, IT Nation Secure will provide TSPs with a deep dive into cybersecurity training and education. As an industry event like IT Nation Connect, attendees are not required to be ConnectWise partners in order to participate. Registration for IT Nation Secure is now open. To register, please visit this link.

IT Nation Explore, which is focused on product training, will be a virtual-only event in order to create opportunities for more ConnectWise product users to engage with the conference. The event will be held this summer, and specific dates will be announced soon.

IT Nation Connect (APAC) will be returning to Gold Coast, Australia in September. This event will be in-person only.

Capping off the year is IT Nation Connect in Orlando in November. Like IT Nation Secure, IT Nation Connect will be offered virtually as well as an in-person option in Orlando, Fla. As always, IT Nation Connect will provide intensive thought leadership and training for TSPs, including cybersecurity training.

Registration for IT Nation Explore, IT Nation Connect and IT Nation Connect (APAC) will be open soon.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about this year’s IT Nation line-up. Anchored by our two Orlando events — IT Nation Secure in June and IT Nation Connect in November — with IT Nation Explore and IT Nation Connect Australia in between, these are the premier conferences for TSPs in the industry,” said Craig Fulton, chief customer officer, ConnectWise. “With IT Nation Explore, we realize it’s a huge ask and expense to ask partners to take time away from work to travel across the country, so this year we are making it a virtual-only event, which will allow us to engage as many partners as possible.”

The safety of IT Nation attendees is a top priority for ConnectWise. As such, all IT Nation in-person events will adhere to COVID-19 protocols, subject to change. This includes face masks, temperature checks, social distancing, hand sanitizer & hand washing, hotel sanitizing procedures and interaction levels. More details can be found here.

“Ultimately, we want to make our events more accessible to all, and to educate and provide resources to as many partners as possible,” continued Fulton. “We understand not everyone is ready to attend in-person events, but after talking to our partners who are ready to meet in-person, we want to create opportunities to make that happen. We also recognize the importance of providing a safe environment for attendees, so we will be following to COVID-19 protocols for in person events.”

IT Nation Conference Schedule

• 
  IT Nation Secure
  – June 21-23, Orlando – Focus: Cybersecurity. Audience: Owners, leaders and technical teams who are cybersecurity-focused.

• 
  IT Nation Explore
  – Summer 2021, Virtual Event – Focus: Product Training. Audience: ConnectWise product users.

• 
  IT Nation Connect (APAC)
  – September 1-3, Gold Coast, Australia – Focus: Product/Security/Thought Leadership Training (In person only). Audience: ConnectWise product users as well as TSP owners and leaders looking to grow their businesses and teams.

• 
  IT Nation Connect
  (North America) – November 10-12, Orlando – Focus: Thought Leadership/Training for TSPs. Audience: TSP owners and leaders looking to grow their businesses and teams.

About IT Nation

The IT Nation is a global community of peers, thought leaders, and experts dedicated to pushing you and the industry to new heights. Between conferences, in-depth product trainings, and community-based events, you’ll never miss an opportunity to engage with your fellow IT Nation voyagers and help each other reach success. Wise Together. Rise Together.

About ConnectWise

ConnectWise is an IT software company powering Technology Solution Providers to achieve their vision of success in their As-a-Service business with intelligent software, expert services, an immersive IT community, and a vast ecosystem of integrations. The unmatched flexibility of the ConnectWise platform fuels profitable, long-term growth for our Partners. With an innovative, integrated, and security-centric platform, ConnectWise enables TSPs to drive business efficiency with business automation, IT documentation, and data management capabilities. And increase revenue using remote monitoring, security, and backup disaster recovery technologies. Visit ConnectWise.com.

MCLEAN, Va., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) announced today that the company has named Mark B. Grier, Member of the Board of Directors and veteran of the financial services industry, as the company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Grier served as Vice Chairman and a Member of the Board of Directors of Prudential Financial, Inc. until his retirement in 2019. He joined the Freddie Mac Board in February 2020 and will continue to serve on the company’s Board during his tenure as Interim CEO.

“As a Member of the Board of Directors, Mark Grier is already an invaluable asset to Freddie Mac, bringing more than four decades of experience in finance, risk, markets and capital management. He is ideally suited to lead the company as we continue a thorough search for a permanent CEO,” said Sara Mathew, non-executive chair of Freddie Mac’s Board of Directors. “I thank Mark for his leadership and look forward to working closely with him to continue serving the nation’s homeowners and renters.”

Grier joined Prudential in 1995 as Chief Financial Officer and held several positions before being named to the Office of the Chairman in 2002 and as Vice Chairman in 2007. He oversaw a wide array of functions, including Finance, Risk Management, Chief Investment Office, Corporate Actuarial, Investor Relations, Global Business & Technology Solutions, and Global Marketing and Communications. He also led Global Strategic Initiatives, which oversaw Prudential’s international retirement and China strategies. In late 2001, he led the $3 billion initial public offering of Prudential Financial, which was one of the largest IPOs in history at the time.

Read Mark Grier’s full bio on www.freddiemac.com.

Freddie Mac makes home possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, we’ve made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Mac’s blog FreddieMac.com/blog.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Christopher Spina

703-388-7031


[email protected]