Market Newsdesk

ATLANTA, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Ridge, a leader in supply chain planning and pricing solutions, announced today that all keynotes and sessions from its annual conference, BLUEPRINT 2020, are now available on demand. BLUEPRINT, held virtually on Sept. 23-24, featured actionable, informative general sessions and keynotes from:

• Supply Chain industry experts Lora Cecere and Adrian Gonzalez
• Blue Ridge CEO Jim Byrnes, EVP of Product Strategy Cliff Isaacson and CTO Santhosh Srirambhatla
• Blue Ridge customers including Watsco and Shamrock Foods
• Blue Ridge partners including Koerber Supply Chain and Northfind Management
• Blue Ridge product leaders for Supply Chain Planning, Integrated Business Planning and Price Optimization

All sessions can be viewed on-demand at https://blueridgeglobal.com/blueprint-2020-ondemand.

BLUE
PRINT is an insight-rich and practical event for supply chain executives, directors, managers and practitioners who desire immediately actionable strategies to improve their business performance.

“On-demand virtual conference viewing has become the norm in this unique year of 2020, and we wanted to make sure that our customers and prospects have ready-made access to this treasure trove of valuable insights and advice,” said Jim Byrnes, chief executive officer, Blue Ridge. “BLUEPRINT 2020 featured our most comprehensive agenda of experts, customers and partners in the history of the event.”

The BLUEPRINT 2020 agenda featured the new Price Optimization solution, which leverages Machine Learning (ML) to quickly identify opportunities and simulate pricing strategies for peak margin, profits, revenues and sales. Price Optimization joins Blue Ridge’s suite of Supply Chain Planning solutions, including Integrated Business Planning (IBP) to seamlessly review, identify and manage demand exceptions across business units, and Integrated Demand Forecasting (IDF), which creates fully configured orders, economically optimized to a company’s goals for up to 24 months in advance.

About Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge Supply Chain Planning and Price Optimization solutions empower distributors and retailers to tap into undiscovered margin through enterprise-wide inventory intelligence, automation and synchronization. Blue Ridge uniquely combines demand forecasting with pricing strategy, so that businesses can proactively understand the unpredictable and allocate the right inventory, right-priced across the entire mix, to accelerate top- and bottom-line results. In a world where the only constant is change, Blue Ridge provides more certainty, more speed and more assurance, so companies can see the why behind the buy and respond faster to the unexpected. That’s why major retailers and distributors rely on Blue Ridge for a more foreseeable future. For more information, go to www.blueridgeglobal.com.

Media Contact:

Will Haraway
Backbeat Marketing
[email protected]
404.593.8320

Worcester, MA, USA and Thane, Mahrashtra, India, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vystar Corporation (OTCQB: VYST) and the Indian Rubber Manufacturers Research Association (IRMRA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a wide range of collaborative activities, including but not limited to research, innovation, testing and technology transfer in midstream and downstream sectors of the rubber industry.

IRMRA is an internationally renowned Research and Development Centre of Excellence for the non-tire and tire sectors, with expertise in nanotech and latex technologies.  It is an autonomous institution under the jurisdiction of The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, New Delhi with facilities in three locations: Headquarters in Mumbai (Maharashtra), and branches in Kolkata (West Bengal) and Sricity (Andhra Pradesh).

“Within the natural rubber latex industry, deproteinized natural rubber (DPNR), both latex and solid, is known for its superior static and dynamic properties that improve end product performance,” stated Dr. K. Rajkumar, Director of IRMRA. “IRMRA’s goal is to team with Vystar to develop viscoelastic DPNR variants having properties for expanding its applications in specific new arenas such as green tires, biodegradable and other unique bioelastoplast product lines that desire a new approach. We appreciate that Vystar will be collaborating with us for R&D in many different areas that have the potential to benefit consumers as an environment sustainable and renewable resource available worldwide.”

The collaboration between IRMRA and Vystar, the creator of Vytex multi-patented, non-enzymatic deproteinized latex and solid natural rubber, could cover, but is not limited to the following areas:

1. Testing and standard development in relation to tire and non-tire and latex areas;
2. Collaboration and training to exchange knowledge between Vystar and IRMRA researchers.
3. Product development such as:
   1. engineering rubber products –
      1. mounting, foams, seismic bearings, specialty rubber (cost reduction),
      2. substitute material (i.e. polychloroprene and nitrile),
   2. specialty rubber products;
      1. niche applications (i.e. yoga and exercise mats, paints, balloons, adhesive, footwear, wet suits); and
      2. applications in non-allergenic gloves and tires.
4. Sustainability certification (e.g. Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC), tire labelling, REACH (chemicals), etc.
5. Consortium between IRMRA and Vystar to explore potential market in non-traditional rubber markets, such as Africa and potential IRMRA commercial technical support if Vystar and its marketing partners expand into emerging markets such as Africa and Latin America.

In the future, the parties may enter into a legally binding agreement for cooperative implementation of any or all of the above as both parties see fit.

The solid Vytex forms open up the dry rubber industry segment with the tire industry.  Tires and automotive rubber components account for 65% of the rubber industry, consuming 9 million metric tons of natural rubber annually.

“IRMRA is internationally recognized for its vast breadth of expertise and resources in the tire and non-tire industries, as exemplified by its November 2020 Letter of Cooperation with ASTM International, the global standards organization.  This MOU with Vystar creates the potential to open doors to many new opportunities for the use of sustainably produced Vytex,” noted William Doyle, Vytex R&D Adviser and former CEO of Vystar.  “Vystar is looking forward to collaborating with IRMRA to explore new solutions to improve products and create more environmentally friendly products.”

“Manufacturers across many industries are working continuously to identify eco-friendly sustainable and biodegradable materials to replace non-renewable, non-biodegradable materials, such as synthetic rubber and plastics,” stated Steve Rotman, Vystar CEO.  “Many are also looking for low or no nitrosamine and ammonia formulations of latex.  This opportunity to collaborate with IRMRA’s vast source of knowledge and experience may lead to the development and/or adaptation of new Vytex formulations, dry rubbers and bioelastoplasts to meet their needs, with the added benefits of healthier manufacturing environments and sustainable end products with enhanced properties.”

Vytex is a rubber hydrocarbon material with the proteins and non-rubber components that cause allergies removed to create an ultra-pure latex and dry rubber with a more compact molecular network of greater durability and flexibility that is virtually odor free with a reduced risk of developing or triggering contact allergies.  An added bonus is that Vytex is completely biodegradable and sustainably sourced. Vytex is ideal for applications such as medical devices, catheters, tubing, condoms and gloves (natural rubber latex glove use has been surging worldwide amid the COVID-19 crisis). Other products include foam mattresses, toppers, pillows, cushions, balloons, adhesives, sports equipment, footwear, apparel and threads. It is compatible with several synthetic rubbers  which also enables their synergistic and symbiotic usage.

For details on Vytex licensing, deproteinization or purchase, contact [email protected] or 508-791-9114 or visit Vytex.com.

Follow Vystar and Vytex news on Twitter: @VystarCompany
Hashtags  #IRMRA, #tires, #tyres, #tireindustry, #tyreindustry, #disposablegloves , #latexgloves, #vystar, #vytex, #naturallatex

# # #

About Vystar Corporation:

Based in Worcester, Mass., Vystar^® Corp. (OTCQB: VYST) is the majority owner of Rotmans Furniture and Carpet and environmentally friendly technologies and products to improve lives, such as RxAir^® UV light air purification products, Vytex^™ Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) and Fluid Energy Solutions. Vystar is the exclusive creator of Vytex, a multi-patented, all-natural, raw material that contains significantly reduced levels of the proteins found in natural rubber latex and can be used in over 40,000 products. Vytex NRL is a 100% renewable resource, environmentally safe, “green” and fully biodegradable. Vystar is working with manufacturers across a broad range of consumer and medical products bringing Vytex NRL to market in adhesives, gloves, balloons, condoms, other medical devices and natural rubber latex foam mattresses, toppers, and pillows. For more information, visit www.vytex.com.

About IRMRA

The Indian Rubber Manufacturers Research Association, established in 1958, is an internationally renowned Research and Development Centre of Excellence both for non-tyre & tyre sectors in India. IRMRA is an autonomous institution under jurisdiction of The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, New Delhi, having ISO / IEC 17025 -2017 accredited laboratories in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Kolkata (West Bengal) and Sricity (Andra Pradesh) with R&D and testing facilities for polymer and allied  industry.
In the last 60 years, with the help of state-of-the-art facilities created with the initial financial assistance granted by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India and expertise developed by our talented scientists, IRMRA is well known for its expertise in the fields of tyre and non-tyre testing and investigations, research and products/compound development, training & manpower development and consultancy services.  It has diversified its activities in sophisticated new areas such as nano and latex technologies, as well as rubber engineering.  For more information visit www.irmra.org

Contacts:


Vystar

Media: Julie Shepherd, Accentuate PR, 847 275 3643, [email protected]
Investors: Lee Howley, [email protected] 508-791-9114
Distributor Opportunities: Steve Rotman, CEO, [email protected] 508-791-9114

Forward-looking Statements: Investors are cautioned that certain statements contained in this document as well as some statements in periodic press releases and some oral statements of VYST officials are “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). Forward-looking statements include statements which are predictive in nature, which depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, which include words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “expects,” and similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible future VYST actions, product development and delivery, which may be provided by management, are also forward-looking statements as defined by the Act. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and to vary significantly from reporting period to reporting period. Although management believes that the assumptions made and expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that the underlying assumptions will, in fact, prove to be correct or that actual future results will not be different from the expectations expressed in this report. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and VYST has no specific intention to update these statements.

Richland WA, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Vivos Inc.
(OTCQB: RDGL), Vivos Inc announced today that it received the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) International Search Report on our patent application (No.1811.191). We are excited to report that seven of our claims were immediately ruled as having novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability. This gives us the basis to extend for many years the patent protection for our proprietary Yttrium-90 phosphate particles utilized in Isopet^® and Radiogel^™. As part of the normal review process, we have also submitted the technical justification for seven additional claims and are confident these additional claims will prevail.

This month we will file patent claims in Canada, UK (Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Ireland), Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, Brazil, China, India, North Countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark).

Our intellectual property foundation includes our Battelle licensing agreement, our trademark protection in 17 counties, and our proprietary expertise that we have developed.

Dr. Mike Korenko stated, “We believe it is critically important to improve and enhance our intellectual property protection both in the US and internationally and today’s announcement is an important validation of this strategy.”

About Vivos Inc. (OTCQB: RDGL)

Vivos Inc. has developed an Yttrium-90 based injectable brachytherapy device, for the treatment of tumors in animals (Isopet^®) and in humans (Radiogel^™). Brachytherapy uses highly localized radiation to destroy cancerous tumors by placing a radioactive isotope directly inside the treatment area using the company’s proprietary hydrogel technology. The injection delivers therapeutic radiation from within the tumor without the entrance skin dose and associated side effects of treatment that characterize external-beam radiation therapy. This feature allows safe delivery of higher doses needed for treating both non-resectable and radiation-resistant cancers.

Radiogel^™ is a hydrogel liquid containing tiny yttrium-90 phosphate particles that may be administered directly into a tumor. The hydrogel is an yttrium-90 carrier at room temperature that gels within the tumor interstitial spaces after injection to keep the radiation sources safely in place. The short-range beta radiation from yttrium-90 localizes the dose within the treatment area so that normal organs and tissues are not adversely affected.

Radiogel^™ also has a short half-life – delivering more than 90% of its therapeutic radiation within 10 days. This compares favorably to other available treatment options requiring up to six weeks or more to deliver a full course of radiation therapy. Therapy can be safely administered as an out-patient procedure and the patient may return home without subsequent concern for radiation dose to family members.

The Isopet^® Solutions division is using university veterinary hospitals to demonstrate the safety and therapeutic effectiveness for different animal cancers. Testing on feline sarcoma at the Washington State University was completed in 2018 and testing on canine soft tissue sarcomas at the University of Missouri was completed in 2019.

In 2018 the Company obtained confirmation from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine that Isopet^® is classified as a medical device according to its intended use and means by which it achieves its intended purpose. The FDA also reviewed the product labeling which included canine and feline sarcomas as the initial indications for use. The FDA does not require pre-market approval for veterinary devices so no additional approval was required for treating skin cancer, which is the largest market sector. Following the demonstration phase, Vivos is able to generate revenue through the sale of Isopet^® to University animal hospitals and private veterinary clinics.

Isopet^® for treating animals uses the same technology as RadioGel^™ for treating humans. The Food and Drug Administration advised using different product names in order to avoid confusion and cross-use.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by the use of the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Company’s ability to successfully execute its expanded business strategy, including by entering into definitive agreements with suppliers, commercial partners and customers; general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing various engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technical advances and delivering technological innovations, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, regulatory requirements and the ability to meet them, government agency rules and changes, and various other factors beyond the Company’s control.

CONTACT:

Vivos Inc.
Michael K. Korenko, Sc.D.
President & CEO
[email protected]

NEW YORK, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Taglich Brothers, Inc. announces it has initiated coverage of KULR Technology Group, Inc. (OTC: KULR).

KULR Technology Group, Inc
., headquartered in Campbell, California, develops and commercializes high-performance thermal management technologies for batteries, electronics, and other components.

The complete 20-page report is available at https://taglichbrothers.com/.

Taglich Brothers, Inc
. is a full-service broker dealer focused exclusively on microcap companies. The Company defines the microcap segment of the equity market as companies with less than $250 million in market capitalization. Taglich Brothers currently offers institutional and retail brokerage services, investment banking and comprehensive research coverage to the investment community.

We do not undertake to advise you as to changes in figures or our views. This is not a solicitation of any order to buy or sell. Taglich Brothers, Inc. is fully disclosed with its clearing firm, Pershing, LLC, is not a market maker and does not sell to or buy from customers on a principal basis. The above statement is the opinion of Taglich Brothers, Inc. and is not a guarantee that the target price for the stock will be met or that predicted business results for the company will occur. There may be instances when fundamental, technical and quantitative opinions contained in this report are not in concert. We, our affiliates, any officer, director or stockholder or any member of their families may from time to time purchase or sell any of the above-mentioned or related securities. Analysts and members of the Research Department are prohibited from buying or selling securities issued by the companies that Taglich Brothers, Inc. has a research relationship with, except if ownership of such securities was prior to the start of such relationship, then an Analyst or member of the Research Department may sell such securities after obtaining expressed written permission from Compliance. As of the date of this report, we, our affiliates, any officer, director or stockholder, or any member of their families do not have a position in the stock of the company mentioned in this report. Taglich Brothers, Inc. does not currently have an Investment Banking relationship with the company mentioned in this report and was not a manager or co-manager of any offering for the company within the last three years.

All research issued by Taglich Brothers, Inc. is based on public information. The company paid a monetary fee of $6,000 (USD) in October 2020 for the creation and dissemination of research reports for the first three months. After the first three months from initial publication, the company will pay a monthly monetary fee of $2,000 (USD) to Taglich Brothers, Inc., for a minimum of twelve months for the creation and dissemination of research reports.

Contact:
Richard Oh
Taglich Brothers, Inc.
631-757-1500

New Bedford, Mass, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New Bedford-based startup KnowSeafood is launching a game-changing direct-to-consumer online seafood market using blockchain technology to bring traceability and trust to the seafood chain. American consumers can now purchase a variety of sustainable, natural seafood and track it from the moment it’s caught or landed to the moment it’s delivered to their door. 

In the U.S., seafood typically goes through an average of four to seven middlemen before it arrives in grocery stores, and 90% is imported. But as much as half of that is actually American-caught seafood being reimported to the U.S. after being processed overseas—often in China or Southeast Asia. Such a long and complicated supply chain inevitably leads to more middlemen with no way to trace its provenance. This often results in mislabeling and rampant fish fraud—for example, 25 percent of seafood in New York stores was mislabeled, according to an investigation by the state’s Attorney General. 

KnowSeafood builds traceability into the food chain by cutting out the middlemen and working directly with trusted global harvesters who share the same high sustainability standards. Each piece of fish is shipped directly from trusted harvesters to KnowSeafood to the consumer, removing middlemen and opportunities for mislabeling. Every harvester is required to adopt the use of blockchain technology, which further ensures traceability and provides the end consumer with complete transparency. 

Innovative blockchain technology from VeChain underpins KnowSeafood’s sustainability and traceability guarantee. KnowSeafood supply partners upload harvesting, processing, and shipping information using VeChain ToolChain; the data is immutable and cannot be changed, ensuring every detail of when and where it was caught, processed, and shipped is accurately recorded, building trust directly into the food chain. 

KnowSeafood works only with fisheries who maintain the highest sustainability standards, are committed to environmental protection and are actively engaged in corporate social responsibility initiatives. Blockchain technology paired with StoryBird supply chain transparency application software provides consumers with interactive profiles of the fishermen, details their sustainability practices, maps out the exact location of the harvest, and reports the time and date when the seafood was landed, processed, shipped, and delivered. Consumers concerned about fish fraud, the use of additives and preservatives, and unsustainable fishing methods now KnowWho, KnowWhen, KnowHow, and KnowWhere their seafood came from even before they buy. 

The harvesters inspect, grade, process, and pack their seafood into KnowSeafood customized individual portions and then flash freeze it at -40°c to -80°c, all within hours of being landed at the dock. KnowSeafood ensures all of its seafood is frozen only once—which guarantees phenomenal quality and avoids the degradation in flavor and texture that typically occurs when seafood is iced, thawed, and frozen multiple times. The only time KnowSeafood is thawed is when it’s safely in the consumer’s home and ready to be cooked. What’s more, KnowSeafood is all-natural, with no additives or preservatives, and comes with a 100% happiness guarantee. 

The company is making serious commitments to combat climate change and help protect the environment, starting with its net-zero carbon emissions cold storage facility in New Bedford, Mass. From there, orders are shipped to customers exclusively in Vericool boxes—made with 100% compostable insulation and 100% recyclable materials. 

KnowSeafood enables consumers to buy sustainable and fully traceable seafood from world-class suppliers of the freshest, highest-quality varieties including scallops, tuna, lobster, haddock, shrimp, mahi-mahi, sea bass, halibut, sablefish, and salmon. Suppliers include: 

Aurora Salmon from Lerøy. Sushi-grade salmon raised under the Aurora Borealis in the arctic fjords of Norway on a diet of natural marine algae oils, including one grown here in the U.S.A. These oils are the richest source of EPA & DHA Omega 3—the two key types of healthy Omega 3s that are only found in fish and seafood. Using algal oil promotes marine biodiversity and makes salmon more sustainable by reducing the wild-caught fish used as salmon feed.

Nordic Wild Sea Scallops from Nordic Inc, New Bedford, MA.  Natural, wild, hand-shucked sea scallops strictly from US North Atlantic waters. Owned and operated by Dan & Daneen Eilertsen, this fleet of six scallopers is the pride of New Bedford. It’s also Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified, which ensures its fishing practices do not diminish wild fish populations or the ecosystem they’re part of. Never treated with additives, their scallops are on ice within 90 minutes of being landed, and you can taste the difference a family’s pride makes.

Rocky Coast Lobster Tails from Owls Head, Maine. These lobsters are harvested

in the morning and brought to the dock the same day by independently owned day boats working off the coast of Owls Head Maine. The cold and pristine waters around Owls Head are famous for their rich and diverse ecosystem that produces some of the world’s best-tasting lobsters, while strict regulations limiting the number of pots, crew, and minimum/maximum size of the catch ensure the sustainability of the fishery.

Plus: 

Artesean’s Diver Caught Bay Scallops—SeaCorp, Peru

Harvest of the Sea Shrimp –Harvest of the Sea, India/Vietnam

Maldhoni Tuna – Maldives Quality Seafood Inc., Maldives/Sri Lanka

Oceano Mahi Mahi – Oceano Seafood, Peru

PezCo Rainbow Trout – PezCo Aquafarming, Colombia

Royal Greenland Chilean Sea Bass – Royal Greenland, Chile

Royal Greenland Cold Water Cooked Shrimp — Royal Greenland, The Maritimes, Canada

Alaska Gold Halibut and Sablefish – Seafood Producers Cooperative Sitka, Alaska

                                                                                        ###

The co-founders of KnowSeafood, Daniel McQuade and Paul Neves, have a combined 50 years of experience in the seafood industry. Their mission at KnowSeafood: giving home chefs a direct connection to trusted harvesters of sustainable, natural, trusted, and traceable seafood while remaining fully committed to protecting the environment. They want to ensure the oceans and seas are alive and thriving for generations to come.  

About KnowSeafood

Founded by seafood industry veterans Paul Neves and Daniel McQuade, KnowSeafood is a startup based in New Bedford, MA, with offices in Raleigh, NC. KnowSeafood is the first direct-to-consumer online seafood market using blockchain technology to ensure transparency and traceability in its supply chain. Its mission is providing U.S. consumers with direct access to the best quality sustainable, natural seafood from a trusted network of global harvesters while working to protect the environment and ensure ocean biodiversity. It’s the first online seafood market to eliminate the middlemen and the risk of fish fraud and mislabeling, giving U.S. consumers a direct connection to sustainable harvesters from around the world and the ability to trace their seafood every step of the way from the ocean to the front door. From Norwegian salmon and Peruvian Mahi-Mahi to New Bedford, MA’s own wild scallops, KnowSeafood delivers trusted seafood with a proven provenance directly to the discerning home chef. 

Website:
https://bit.ly/KnowSeafood

Youtube:
https://bit.ly/KnowSeafoodIntro 

Contact: 

Daniel McQuade, CEO, KnowSeafood

[email protected]

+1.508.525.3477

Whitney Foard Small

[email protected]

+1.207.749.1314

About VeChain

Launched in 2015, VeChain connects blockchain technology to the real world by providing a comprehensive governance structure, a robust economic model, and IoT integration. VeChain is the pioneer of real-world applications using public blockchain technology, with international operations in Singapore, Luxembourg, Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris, Hong Kong, and San Francisco. Together with our strategic partners PwC and DNV GL, we have established cooperative relations with many leading enterprises in different industries, including Walmart China, BMW, BYD Auto, Haier, H&M, LVMH, D.I.G, ENN, AWS, PICC, ASI etc. 

Website: www.vechain.com 

Contact: [email protected] 

About StoryBird 

StoryBird is a storytelling application that educates consumers about the products they purchase. The app provides full transparency into a product’s supply chain from producer to consumer, utilizing media, content and blockchain traceability. StoryBird allows for consumers to connect directly with the producers of their products and each stakeholder in the supply chain to communicate their unique story. StoryBird is an application of Producers Market.

Website: storybird.co

Contact:
[email protected]

Daniel McQuade, 
Co-founder and CEO, KnowSeafood

Daniel McQuade is the Co-founder and CEO of KnowSeafood, a privately held direct-to-consumer seafood e-commerce platform that uses blockchain technology to ensure transparency and traceability in its supply chain.  KnowSeafood partners with a rigorously vetted group of global harvesters of sustainable, natural seafood in order to eliminate the middlemen and offer their products directly to the consumer.

Before founding KnowSeafood, Daniel successfully founded 3 companies and pioneered the first USDA-approved Natural Light Beef company. In 2019, Daniel worked directly with IBM FoodTrust to deliver the first fully integrated blockchain solution that allowed consumers to see the entire journey of their seafood from point of harvest to plate. Working off the success of that project and recognizing the consumer demand for traceability in the seafood supply chain, Daniel went on to co-found KnowSeafood. 

Since 2009, Daniel has been a counselor for the Columbia-Harlem Small Business Development Center at the Columbia Business School in NYC, where he helps entrepreneurs and small business ventures achieve next-stage growth. In 2013, he joined Venture for All, an affiliate of Columbia Business School, as a director and adjunct professor developing the frameworks for a suite of world-class business school programs. This global online initiative aims to enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem in emerging markets through education and mentorship. 

Over the course of his career, Daniel has created, worked with, and volunteered with CSR and non-profit organizations in capacities ranging from founder, president, executive board member, and trustee, providing over $7 Million in grants to a wide range of non-profit institutions focusing on education, health, and wellness. 

Paul Neves, 
Co-founder and COO, KnowSeafood

Paul Neves is the Co-founder and COO of KnowSeafood, a privately held direct-to-consumer seafood e-commerce platform that uses blockchain technology to ensure transparency and traceability in its supply chain. KnowSeafood partners with a rigorously vetted group of global harvesters of sustainable, natural seafood in order to eliminate the middlemen and offer their products directly to the consumer.

The man behind the scenes, Paul is always looking for ways to improve process, and can usually be found elbow-deep in product, making sure it’s the best it can be for the end consumer. Born into the seafood industry, Paul represents the fourth generation of the Neves fishing family. He started his career unloading boats on the docks in New Bedford, Massachusetts, went on to manage seafood plants, and has founded or co-founded multiple companies. He learned from the bottom up, which is why he takes pride in building a strong team and sees the value of every member, no matter their position or title.

In 2006, Paul co-founded Oceans Alive Scallops, a company that cemented its reputation as a favorite among white tablecloth restaurants after chef Josiah Rosenberg won Season 5 of Bravo TV’s Top Chef using Oceans Alive Scallops. Oceans Alive was one of the original members of the American Scallop Association, which funded the research to establish the Atlantic Scallop fishery as a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fishery.  Sustainability has always been a priority, and Paul has been involved in everything from equipment design to use of byproducts and plant operation efficiencies.  

Attachments

• KS seafood box – 1
• KS trusted trace

Whitney Foard Small
KnowSeafood
+1.207.749.1314
[email protected]

Daniel McQuade
KnowSeafood
+1.508.525.3477
[email protected]

Greenville, SC, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gordian, the leading provider of facility and construction cost data, software and expertise, announced that the George Washington University (GW) received the 2019 Harry H. Mellon Award of Excellence in Job Order Contracting (JOC) for interior renovations to Mitchell Hall. The honor for exemplary use of JOC included recognition of both GW and Centennial Contractors, Inc. due to the special circumstances surrounding this project which was identified, scoped and completed within 35 days.

“It’s an honor to present the Award of Excellence in Job Order Contracting to the George Washington University and Centennial,” said William Pollak, President of Gordian, during a virtual presentation of the award on Thursday, November 19. “Gordian evaluated submissions for the 2019 Harry H. Mellon Awards. GW’s renovation project was selected as the winner based on innovation, use of Job Order Contracting principles, scope of work, special circumstances and time savings.”

The project began in the Spring of 2019, when GW recognized the condition of the highly trafficked Mitchell Hall corridors needed urgent upgrades and decided to use some of its deferred maintenance budget to make necessary improvements before the fall semester. With less than 45 days before the new fall semester began, and the hall fully occupied by summer program students, GW turned to Job Order Contracting for this time-sensitive project. JOC is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) construction delivery method that allows many projects to be completed through a single, competitively awarded contract. The awarded JOC contractor, Centennial, was able to complete the renovations to all nine floors, which included replacing fluorescent lighting with energy-efficient LED lighting, upgrading interior finishes and unexpected mold remediation, in just 35 days.

In addition to awarding GW with the Award of Excellence, the following Award of Merit Winners have been recognized for demonstrating Job Order Contracting best practices:

Tri-C’s Winter Break Touch Screen Swap Out

Agency: Cuyahoga Community College
Contractor: FOTI Contracting

To provide an interactive classroom experience for students and better teaching functionality for instructors, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C)’s Media department initiated a project to swap out existing audiovisual equipment over winter break. Due to the project’s unique scope of work and expedited timeline, the College decided to utilize Job Order Contracting to complete the project. Tri-C purchased all the equipment, but the awarded contractor, FOTI Contracting, was responsible for storage, transportation and installation, in addition to providing all connections, installing new whiteboards and all wall touch-ups. Due to continuous coordination and the collaborative nature of JOC, the project was completed on time and the classrooms were ready for use when was the students and teachers returned from winter break.

Environmental Field Operations Office Space and Garage

Agency: Indiana National Guard – Camp Atterbury
Contractor: Wilhelm Construction

Camp Atterbury provides multi-domain military and law enforcement training opportunities for the Indiana National Guard and associated agencies. In the summer of 2019, the Environmental Field Operations department needed a new administrative building and a maintenance garage due to developments on the Himsel Army Airfield. This project was identified near the end of the fiscal calendar, so the project needed to be designed and priced and purchase orders issued within 42 working days. However, traditional construction procurement methods were taking up to nine months. The Indiana National Guard decided to utilize Job Order Contracting to simplify and expedite the procurement process, the project was designed and priced in six weeks and completed within seven months.

Reroute Storm Sewer Around Historic Post Cemetery

Agency: U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley
Contractor: Olgoonik Diversified Services

Fort Riley needed to reroute the storm sewer around the historic Main Post Cemetery to accommodate stormwater runoff and modernize the drainage system for future sustainment. Original project estimates were nearly $5 million, so Fort Riley needed to figure out a more economical alternative. By leveraging in-house ingenuity and experience, Fort Riley was able to rescope the project and utilized their Job Order Contracting (known as SABER for the U.S. Air Force) program for transparent pricing and access to awarded contractor, Olgoonik Diversified Services. The collaborative partnership between Fort Riley, Gordian and Olgoonik Diversified Services reduced the project cost to just under $700,000, a savings of more than $4 million from original estimates.

About the Awards

The Harry H. Mellon Award of Excellence in Job Order Contracting is an annual award recognizing innovative uses of Job Order Contracting. Judging was conducted by a panel of Job Order Contracting experts and past award winners from all facets of the industry. Projects were judged on their adherence to Job Order Contracting principles, innovation, complexity, special circumstances and overall time and cost savings. In order to be eligible, projects had to be completed during 2019, and nominations were submitted by agency owners or contractors.

The award program is named for Harry H. Mellon, the creator of Job Order Contracting and co-founder of Gordian. Job Order Contracting is a competitively-bid construction procurement process used by building and infrastructure owners to save time and money by fast-tracking repair, renovation and alteration projects based on locally priced construction tasks and competitively awarded contracts.

 

About Gordian

Gordian (www.gordian.com) is the leader in facility and construction cost data, software and services for all phases of the building lifecycle. A pioneer of Job Order Contracting, Gordian’s solutions also include proprietary RSMeans data and Sightlines Facility Intelligence Solutions. From planning to design, procurement, construction and operations, Gordian’s solutions help clients maximize efficiency, optimize cost savings and increase building quality.

Sarah Huet de Guerville
Gordian
8644518036
[email protected]