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Consumer lender Fintern appoints Chief Risk Officer

Stockwood Strategy

Prior to joining Fintern, Mark was a Partner at EY, where he specialised in Credit Analytics and led EY's Quantitative Advisory Services team of 200 quantitative analysts. Since joining EY in 2005, Mark has served virtually every major UK bank on the topic of credit modelling and the use of advanced analytics. At Fintern, Mark will leverage his market-leading experience to develop Fintern's next-generation credit technology and improve access to affordable credit. Mark holds a PhD in mathematics and has been a leading advocate for the use of alternative data in fairer credit decisioning. Gerald Chappell, Fintern CEO, said "I am excited about Mark's vision for Fintern, as well as his passion for using data and analytics to fix the failings of the credit score system and improve access to affordable credit. Given his career track record, he will bring world-class analytics, artificial intelligence and strategic expertise to build on the strengths of the existing management team." On his appointment, Mark London commented: "I am delighted to be joining Fintern at this important time. Fintern's mission to transform consumer credit markets, bypassing a broken credit scoring system that unfairly excludes millions of people from affordable loans, is more relevant now than ever with the economic disruption caused by Covid-19. Using Open Banking and other alternative data we can improve financial lives by bringing affordable and responsible loans to many more people." Mark added "I am excited about Fintern's commitment to interactive lending. As CRO, I will ensure we share our insights with customers, that we will help them to make decisions that are in their best interest, and that we will provide full transparency on all our lending decisions." Michelle He, Fintern COO and CFO, said "Mark will find an amazing home here at Fintern, and a deep commitment from the entire Fintern team to challenging the traditional lending approach and helping consumers recover as we emerge from Covid-19." About Fintern Fintern is a digital consumer lender on a mission to expand access to low-cost personal finance and transform financial well-being. Fintern's next-generation credit technology takes a holistic look at each applicant’s financial situation rather than making a decision solely based on a credit score. Fintern builds relationships with customers helping them to understand their repayment capacity and credit appetite. Fintern integrates its AI platform with Open Banking to smartly connect the dots in consumers' banking data enabling Fintern to obtain the most accurate view of borrowers' affordability and spending behaviour using up to the minute transaction information. Fintern was founded in 2020 with a team from McKinsey, EY, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, HSBC and XiaoMi. Fintern is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 929244, a member of Cifas (the UK's leading anti-fraud association) and registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office in compliance with the Data Protection Regulations 2018. Contact Details Fintern Sam Power +44 7400 122813 press@fintern.ai Company Website https://fintern.ai/

March 29, 2021 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Boca Raton Christian School Selects Comodo's Advanced EndPoint Protection and Comprehensive Cybersecurity Platform for Complete Protection

Comodo

Boca Raton Christian School (BRCS) chose to implement the Comodo Dragon Platform and Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) to gain the benefits of comprehensive security and network management platform, which they were not seeing with their previous provider, Symantec. “We needed a company who would work with us to stay within our budget, and Symantec was already one of the lowest-priced options, but Symantec lacked advanced features and company support. Our end-users, I'm afraid to say, even though I love them very much, have a very low level of cybersecurity awareness or commitment to online safety, I, therefore, needed a solution that would be able to help offset my users' errors and dangerous activities,“ said Ken Fry, Director of Technology. Using Comodo’s solutions, BRCS is now able to completely protect all its teachers, staff and students, without slowing down their computers. This includes system patches, anti-virus file signature scanning, heuristic behavior analysis, sandboxing containment of unknown software, automatic file submission for human checks of unrecognized files, firewall protection, data loss prevention, and device control if needed. With Comodo’s patented Auto-Containment™ technology, even threats that cannot be detected by any cybersecurity platform are still contained within a virtual container to protect the IT systems against damage. “We dropped Symantec due to lack of support, lack of features, and lack of confidence in the new owner of the platform. We were working with a Symantec Vendor who completely lacked initiative in providing support or guidance for renewal and upgrade options,” Ken continues. The outstanding overall customer experience that Comodo provides is one of the key reasons BRCS chose Comodo. “Our IT specialist had experience working with Comodo at a different school following a devastating ransomware attack, the Comodo experience was very positive, and that previous testimonial gave strength to the decision to roll with Comodo.” He continues. “the additional network management tools offered with Comodo are game-changing,” said Ken. The Dragon platform with Advanced Endpoint Protection, is a complete cloud-native framework that delivers a zero-trust architecture to protect and defend endpoints. Its patent-pending auto containment technology has active breach protection that neutralizes ransomware, malware, and cyber-attacks. The auto containment runs an unknown executable in a kernel API virtualized mode, thereby offering attack surface reduction (ASR) which neutralizes ransomware attacks. The Dragon Platform also utilizes a Default Deny security posture with Default Allow usability to provide the most comprehensive protection against zero-day threats while having no impact on end-user experience or workflows. About Boca Christian School Boca Raton Christian School, www.bocachristian.org, is a Private K3-12 School that has been partnering with parents to Equip Future Christian Leaders through Academic, Artistic, Athletic, and Spiritual Excellence since 1973. BRCS enrolls 650 students from Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Boca Christian promotes academic excellence in the context of a Christian worldview, starting from 3 years old, all the way through the 12th grade. Boca Christian prepares students to meet the world and to lead their generation in wisdom and truth. Boca Raton Christian School is a ministry of Boca Raton Community Church. BRCS is accredited with FCIS and ACSI, has 100% college acceptance, small classes with loving Christian teachers, 1:1 student computing K-12, and is situated on a beautiful well-equipped campus near the Atlantic Ocean on a hill in Boca Raton, SE Florida. About Comodo Comodo is the world’s leader of next-generation open source cybersecurity, with the industry’s most disruptive innovations. We help customers stop breaches with groundbreaking auto containment technology that neutralizes ransomware, malware and cyber-attacks. Our complete cloud-native framework delivers a zero-trust architecture with active breach protection for the most comprehensive defense against zero-day threats. Comodo’s cybersecurity products maximize intelligent sharing between every component of the platform, therefore providing superior security. We are the only company that analyzes and gives a trusted verdict for 100% of files on a network. Comodo leverages innovation to celebrate and support the cybersecurity community by offering the very first open source endpoint detection and response (EDR). We believe that an open source model using community-powered collaboration will ensure that every organization has access to the industry’s most sophisticated EDR. Headquartered in Clifton NJ, Comodo’s global development team and threat intelligence laboratories deliver innovative, category leading, security solutions for thousands of companies’ endpoints, network boundaries, and internal networks. For more information visit https://www.comodo.com/ Contact Details Carolyn Muzyka +1 973-859-4000 carolyn.muzyka@comodo.com Company Website http://www.comodo.com

March 26, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Replicated Releases Open-Source Alert Tool to Support Compliance, Security in Kubernetes Clusters

Replicated, Inc.

Replicated today released its open source image version alert tool, called Outdated, to help cluster admins and operators actively determine if they’re running the latest versions of container images and ensure a higher level of security and compliance. While there are other tools on the market that support similar actions, Outdated is the first standardized tool that will automatically tell customers when there’s a container image update they need to install. “Instead of just deploying the latest version in a cluster, we determined the best solution is to always pin a specific version so you get reproducible deployments, and then you can decide what you want to do next,” said Marc Campbell, CTO at Replicated. The most compelling reason to use Outdated is increased security, but it was also created to give the user a straightforward way to understand if they’re running the latest container images, with output color-coded as green (latest version), yellow (new version pending), and red (need to update). While other apps like GitHub and Helm have similar alerts, Outdated looks specifically at the images and the state of the cluster and tells you if there are outdated versions. “At a high level, Outdated is a binary that runs on your workstation and interrogates the Kubernetes cluster, finds all the container images that are running with tags, and goes out to the associated container registries and finds the newer versions,” Campbell explained. “We created Outdated because an important step in keeping a Kubernetes or application cluster secure is to keep the latest version running at all times. This tool makes it really simple.” Similar to its work to develop and make available SchemaHero, now in the CNCF sandbox, and Troubleshoot, it is Replicated’s hope that releasing Outdated as a fully open sourced project will both introduce the purpose-built tool to a community that will appreciate its usefulness, as well as foster community by way of feedback, use cases and contributions. To access Outdated and start using it today, please visit https://outdated.sh. Replicated is the modern way to ship on-prem software. Replicated gives software vendors a container-based platform for easily deploying cloud native applications inside customers' environments to provide greater security and control. Learn more at Replicated.com. Contact Details Owen Media Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://www.replicated.com/

March 25, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

MEOW WOLF’S HOUSE OF ETERNAL RETURN IS NOW OPEN

Meow Wolf

Book your interdimensional travel today with the reopening of Meow Wolf’s famed immersive experience, House of Eternal Return. Just in time for the exhibition’s five-year anniversary, the Santa-Fe-based arts and entertainment company has officially reopened its flagship location. Following Omega Mart ’s grand opening in Las Vegas last month, House of Eternal Return marks Meow Wolf’s second opening of 2021. Meow Wolf’s reopening and reduced capacity adheres to New Mexico’s most recent public health order, which was announced on March 24, 2021. Meow Wolf has put additional tickets on sale through May 25th and will be welcoming guests to the House of Eternal Return at limited capacity between Friday and Monday of every week. Fans of the exhibition will be able to return to a space with new surprises, as Meow Wolf has spent the past year installing a variety of upgrades to the exhibit with new installations from guest artists such as Corinne Loperfido, Paolo Puck, and Obsidiopoli s. Visitors can purchase tickets now. The installation has also revised its traffic flow and curtailed its interaction with immersive displays so that the interactive experience aligns with museum protocol. Beyond physical space, Meow Wolf has also redesigned and reimagined “touch” as some experiences were previously centered around tactile exploration, including: Digital Access to In-Exhibition Content. Meow Wolf has created more digital content to get into the storyline. Instead of flipping through a physical newspaper or book for clues, visitors can use their mobile phones for a non-touch experience. No Touch/Low Touch. Some art that was ‘high-touch’ has been modified into ‘no touch’ or ‘low touch.’ For example, the iconic dryer portal is temporarily closed to physically crawl through, but visitors will still be able to take the perfect Instagram shot. Implementing safety practices and protocols to protect employees, guests, and the community while combating the spread of coronavirus is Meow Wolf’s main priority. Here’s what to expect when visiting Meow Wolf: Face Masks: In keeping with New Mexico state guidelines, face masks are required at all times. Masks must cover both nose and mouth. Temperature Checks: All guests are required to have a non-invasive temperature check before being allowed in the exhibit. Social Distancing: All visitors must practice social distancing and keep a minimum of 6 feet away from other groups and employees during their visit. Docents are also available to help maintain protocol. Ventilation Upgrades: Meow Wolf has increased outside airflow and circulation, and upgraded its HVAC system by installing UV lights to clean air. Employee Covid Testing: Meow Wolf requires employees to be tested weekly for Covid-19 utilizing New Mexico's Department of Health recommended Vault Saliva Test. In addition to the above, Meow Wolf is also implementing safety measures for their staff and the exhibit. Every day, in preparation for guests, the House of Eternal Return undergoes rigorous sanitization. Employees receive daily temperature checks and have undergone comprehensive COVID-19 safety and sanitization training. When in the exhibit, you will also find hand sanitizer dispensers placed at guest and employee entrances and contact areas. Need more Meow Wolf? Their second exhibition, Omega Mart, is now open in Las Vegas and operating at 50% capacity. Deemed “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store,” this alluring experience combines mind-blowing interactive art elements with an in-depth narrative, inviting attendees to explore 4 vast themed areas and 60 additional unique environments, including installation-filled rooms, terrains, and portals to other worlds which is brought to life by over 325 creatives. World-renowned musical and visual artists such as Beach House, Brian Eno, Amon Tobin, Alex Grey, Allyson Grey, Shrine, and Android Jones are among the 50+ collaborators working to create this mind-bending experience, which Los Angeles Times calls "Meow Wolf's Most Ambitious Risk-Taking Endeavor Yet." Tickets for Omega Mart are on sale at www.omegamart.com. To learn more about what Meow Wolf is doing to protect their visitors at both exhibitions, please visit the Meow Wolf website. Meow Wolf was recognized in Fast Company 's 2020 list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, and awarded the #1 spot for Live Events. The company is also building a third permanent installation in Denver, which is slated to open in late 2021. About Meow Wolf Response to COVID-19 We are closely monitoring state and federal government policy changes, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, government mandates, and public health advancements. We will continue to make changes as necessary. All decisions about implementing these plans will be made in collaboration with local health officials and other state and local authorities. About Meow Wolf Recognized in Fast Company's 2020 list of The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company that creates immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The company's first location in Santa Fe opened in 2016 and showcases the THEA Award-winning, international sensation, House Of Eternal Return, where two million visitors have now discovered a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and surreal, maximalist and mesmerizing art exhibits. In 2019, Meow Wolf expanded beyond Santa Fe and opened Kaleidoscape, the world’s first artist-driven ride at Elitch Gardens in Denver. Meow Wolf recently opened their second permanent installation, Omega Mart, at AREA15 in Las Vegas and their third permanent installation in Denver slated to open in late 2021. Meow Wolf is proud to be the only certified B-Corporation in the themed entertainment industry, with a team dedicated to social impact and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Jive PR + Digital Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Maya Sarin +1 818-422-2248 maya@jiveprdigital.com Company Website https://meowwolf.com/

March 25, 2021 08:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Agora Data Issues Lender Challenge To Compare Buy Here Pay Here Dealers’ Credit Lines

Agora

Agora Data, Inc. has issued a challenge to commercial lenders providing credit lines to Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) dealers. The challenge consists of a checklist for BHPH dealers and smaller finance companies to compare their current line of credit to AgoraCapital. If a dealer can get its lender to match all the terms of AgoraCapital, Agora will offer its congratulations and send the dealer a check for $1,000. Dealers can find the Agora Lender Challenge details and checklist at www.agoralenderchallenge.com. Specifics for the Agora Lender Challenge include lowering current interest rates, eliminating monthly borrowing base true-ups, removing burdensome financial restrictions, and obtaining a wealth of services (free of charge) to help support and plan for growth. After taking the Agora Lender Challenge, dealers are encouraged to contact Agora Data and explore all financing options that best align with their business and personal goals. Dealers in good standing with their current lender are automatically eligible to refinance their line of credit with AgoraCapital at a reduced interest rate and receive a commitment to triple their borrowing capacity. New dealers wanting to accelerate their portfolio can get started with various robust and low-cost financing options. “Agora Data is changing the dynamic between dealers and lenders and issuing a challenge that gives dealers the power to identify the best financing options that support business goals and needs,” said Steve Burke, CEO of Agora Data. “The market has known for some time that financing innovation for BHPH dealers is long overdue, and with our AgoraCapital program, we have successfully removed the obstacles that previously hampered growth and profitability. Agora Data is addressing barriers by providing BHPH dealers access to capital markets to help fuel their growth.” Burke went on to encourage “dealers to stop working for your lenders and start working for yourself”. The Agora Lender Challenge follows Agora Data’s successful execution of the auto industry’s first-ever crowdsourced auto loan securitization on December 29, 2020. This groundbreaking development in the world of structured finance provides BHPH auto dealers and small to mid-sized finance companies access to affordable capital markets funding. In addition, Agora Data recently announced its latest product offering – AgoraCredit. AgoraCredit is designed to transition dealers from their current senior lender into interim credit lines that work in harmony with the AgoraCapital securitization program. AgoraCredit was created with the specific goal of not locking dealers into expensive and risky lines of credit but instead initiating the freedom of providing a smooth glide path into the world of crowdsourced securitizations. In addition to access to AgoraCredit and AgoraCapital, Agora Data members connected to the platform receive free of charge additional insights and analytics to better understand their portfolio's performance enabling dealers to make more informed business decisions as well as numerous other tools and services to help ensure success. About Agora Data, Inc: Agora is re-inventing auto finance for Buy Here Pay Here dealers and finance companies with a crowdsourcing platform that bridges access to the capital market. Easy to use and analytically robust business tools empower the untapped and diverse portfolios of the BHPH auto market, connecting dealers, sub-prime finance companies, and capital market lenders with results-driven resources to enhance financial growth. Founded in 2017 by a best-in-class team of top professionals in auto finance and leading data scientists, the company has successfully combined billions in historical loan performance data to develop its AI-Infused predictive loan technology and machine learning models. agoradata.com. For more information, please contact Agora at (877) 592-4672 or contactus@agoradata.com. Contact Details Shelly Vandeven +1 682-282-4130 media@agoradata.com Company Website https://agoradata.com/

March 25, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Comcast Business Partners with the Colorado Rockies to Deliver A Grand Slam Experience at the Ballpark

Comcast West Division

Comcast Business today announced it is partnering with the Colorado Rockies to deliver increased bandwidth and high-performance connectivity to help create a more digital gameday experience for fans, starting in the 2021 season. Comcast Business is equipping Coors Field with an enhanced network infrastructure that will help its front office workers give ballpark visitors the ability to order food and access tickets on their mobile devices and select cashless payment options. Since 1995, the Colorado Rockies have called Coors Field home. With stadiums across the country implementing cutting-edge digital innovations, the organization sought to completely overhaul its technology network to be able to provide Rockies fans a more elevated experience at the field. Following a comprehensive evaluation of multiple technology providers, the Rockies selected Comcast Business to implement dual Gbps Ethernet Dedicated Internet connections and Comcast Business’ advanced ActiveCore SD-WAN service. The solutions will provide reliability, increased bandwidth and power back office communications across the Rockies’ multiple locations, from Coors Field to its Dugout Stores as well as Salt River Fields, the team’s spring training facility in Arizona. “Our mission is to create an unparalleled gameday experience, and success for me is when people don’t notice us; the internet is running, the phones are working and the ballpark app is functioning properly,” said Michael Bush, Senior Director, Information Systems for the Colorado Rockies. “Comcast Business has been a valuable technology partner in helping us achieve that goal with unmatched service.” With Comcast Business providing the connectivity backbone, the Colorado Rockies also will gain end-to-end network management tools that allow them to configure their network connections as needed. Employees will be able to review daily analytics, proactively remediate connectivity issues, and use a dashboard to make real-time network adjustments – all of which are especially important functions during game days, which draw more than 50,000 fans to the stadium. “Modern sports venues are constantly challenged to provide the technology infrastructure to keep up with digital innovations that not only enhance the fan experience but also provide seamless connectivity and network management across an organization’s entire footprint,” said Robert Thompson, Vice President of Comcast Business for the Comcast’s Mountain West Region. “Our partnership with the Colorado Rockies is representative of how Comcast Business can deliver reliable, high-bandwidth connectivity and SD-WAN solutions to redefine how fans enjoy a day at the ballpark.” For more information, please visit https://business.comcast.com/denver. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @Comcast Business and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. Contact Details Comcast Leslie Oliver +1 303-810-6326 Leslie_Oliver@comcast.com Company Website https://colorado.comcast.com/

March 25, 2021 08:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

GoGetVax Launches “VaxYes” To Help Convert Vaccine Cards into Digital Vaccine Certificate

GoGetVax

GoGetVax, the first end-to-end COVID-19 vaccine technology platform in the U.S., today announces the launch of “ VaxYes,” a digital platform that helps vaccinated individuals convert their vaccine cards into a secure digital vaccination certificate that can be used for traveling, attending live events, or returning to work. In a few easy steps, people who have received the vaccine can safely upload their vaccination card to their smartphone, eliminating worries over misplacing a paper record during a time when public health and safety remains a concern worldwide. As the COVID-19 vaccine roll out continues across the country, providing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-approved vaccination card is likely to impact the ability to return to face-to-face work, gathering in crowds, planning vacations and more. Carrying a paper record is tedious – and the card is difficult to replace if lost. The VaxYes service provides users the ability to access to someone’s verified vaccination record by digitizing the vaccine card and removing the stress of carrying and not losing the card. “Having continuous access to your vaccination record during the pandemic is essential,” said GoGet, Inc. CEO Mohammad Gaber. GoGet, Inc. is the parent company of GoGetVax. “Providing this service to digitize an important document like your vaccine record is an important new part of our GoGetVax platform.” Converting a paper vaccine card into a digital vaccine certificate is easy. All a user has to do is visit the VaxYes page of the GoGetVax website, input their phone number, upload a photo of their vaccination card, and receive their digital vaccine certificate. The VaxYes service is free. “Proof of vaccination could be the key to returning to normalcy,” Gaber said. “Because of that, vaccination cards should be safeguarded and protected at all times. You never know when you might need to show it, and having it in your phone is the best way to ensure it’s at your fingertips whenever you need it.” GoGetVax, is helping thousands of people across the country seamlessly manage the vaccination process from start to finish, allowing them to review their eligibility, pre-register, receive real-time updates on availability and schedule a vaccination appointment. For more information on GoGetVax and VaxYes, including testing locations and scheduling a vaccination, visit https://www.gogetvax.com/. About GoGetVax GoGetVax is the easiest way to vaccinate your communities through a complete end-to-end technology platform designed for vaccine administration. The GoGetVax COVID-19 vaccination experience will help keep the nation’s communities and economies open and safe. GoGetVax’s COVID-19 response units ensure geographical reach to rural areas and fast activation in virus hotspots. For more information, visit http://gogetvax.com. Contact Details April White +1 323-216-8589 gogettested@trustrelations.agency Company Website https://www.gogetvax.com/

March 25, 2021 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NEST’s Founders Named Ambassadors of Philanthropic Division

NEST

NEST, the leading national integrated facilities management company, announced that the company’s founders Robert Almond, Sr. and Dee Almond will lead philanthropic efforts as Ambassadors of NEST Nurtures. NEST established NEST Nurtures last year with the goal of expanding on charitable endeavors that the company has conducted since they were founded in 1994. “My parents have always stressed the importance of philanthropy since they founded NEST over 25 years ago,” said Rob Almond, Jr, who was named CEO of NEST in 2015. “Despite the uncertainty in 2020, we were proud to continue that tradition throughout the pandemic on a national level. We look forward to spreading goodwill into the future with my parents in this important role.” Since last summer, more than 25 charities have benefited from over $100,000 in cash donations through NEST Nurtures. The recipients were selected by NEST’s retail partners as a way to support charities doing important work across the country. Beneficiaries of the initiative include Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (selected by Five Below), Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (selected by JOANN), Ticket to Dream Foundation (selected by Mattress Firm) and The Doe Fund (selected by Steve Madden). Additionally, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Ronald McDonald House Charities have been longtime beneficiaries of NEST. At the end of 2020, three notable donations were also made by NEST Nurtures on behalf of the employees, who were able to achieve company goals in the fourth quarter. As a result of their work, Women Against Abuse in Philadelphia, the Domenica Foundation in New Jersey, and the Taste of Immokalee in Florida received added assistance from NEST. Since the pandemic hit the U.S. and Canada, NEST has played an important role to keep retailers’ doors open and maintain consumer confidence. From implementing new janitorial procedures to decreasing facility management expenses through an integrated approach, NEST is developing industry leading facility management strategies for more than 40 retail clients. NEST manages approximately 60,000 individual retail locations in North America. NEST is the pioneer of the Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) industry in the United States and Canada since 1994. NEST’s Integrated Facilities Management solution pairs financial acumen and business analytics with a strategic consultative approach. Real-time data, reporting and analytics technology empowers business leaders and facility management teams with the informed insights that enable them to make smarter decisions. To learn more about NEST, visit enterNEST.com or follow NEST on LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric PR & Marketing, LLC Eric Nemeth +1 602-502-2793 nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://www.enternest.com/

March 25, 2021 08:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time

California Leads the Nation by Connecting More Than 1.4 Million People to Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program as it Celebrates 10-Year Milestone

Comcast West Division

Comcast today announced it has connected more than 10 million people to its Internet Essentials program, which is marking its 10-year anniversary. Internet Essentials offers internet access for low-income families and individuals for $9.95 per month, along with digital literacy training programs and access to low-cost computers. California continues to lead the nation with more than 1.4 million individuals benefiting from the Internet Essentials program since its inception. Fresno and Sacramento, respectively, have the most Internet Essentials subscribers in the state. Rounding out the top 10 in California (in order) are Stockton, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Salinas, Santa Maria, Modesto and Madera. “While the pandemic has shone a bright light on the need for greater digital equity, this is an issue Comcast has been aware of and working on diligently with our partners for a decade,” said John Gauder, Senior Vice President, California Region, Comcast. “We could not be prouder that California continues to lead the nation in connecting low income families to the program. We look forward to continuing to do even more through our Internet Essentials program, our Internet Essentials Partnership Program, Lift Zones and more – for the next 10 years and beyond.” “We applaud Comcast’s decade-long commitment to finding solutions for comprehensive, digital equity and Internet adoption programs to support low-income communities,” said Diane Carbray, President/CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County. “We are thrilled that Fresno is the No. 1 city for Internet Essentials in California and are so proud to be a key partner in creating that amazing outcome. We all know that there is much more hard work ahead of us, but this milestone is tremendous and we celebrate Comcast and our Fresno families for achieving this important outcome.” “PIQE’s (Parent Institute for Quality Education) mission is to engage, empower and transform families by providing the knowledge and the skills to partner with schools and communities to ensure their children achieve their full potential. Comcast and its Internet Essentials program dovetails so perfectly with PIQE’s mission and together we have accomplished some incredible results on our collective path toward creating greater digital equity in our communities,” PIQE President and CEO, Gloria Corral said. “We applaud Comcast on its 10-year milestone with Internet Essentials and we are delighted to continue our ongoing partnership over the coming years as we work to reach even higher heights.” Comcast Corporation also announced today that it would invest $1 billion over the next 10 years to help further close the digital divide and give even more low-income Americans the tools and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. Comcast’s $1 billion commitment will include investments in a number of critical areas, including: additional support for its ongoing Lift Zone initiative, which establishes WiFi-connected safe spaces in 1,000+ community centers nationwide for students and adults by the end of 2021; new laptop and computer donations; grants for nonprofit community organizations to create opportunities for low-income Americans, particularly in media, technology, and entrepreneurship; and continued investment in the company’s landmark Internet Essentials program. It is estimated that these new commitments will impact as many as 50 million Americans over the next 10 years. In 2021 alone, Comcast estimates students will be able to complete more than 25 million hours of remote learning lessons to further address the “homework gap” at the hundreds of Lift Zone locations that have already opened or will open soon. A 10-Year Progress Report on Internet Essentials, released in conjunction with today’s anniversary, also highlights other key metrics about the program, including: Increased Internet Essentials speeds six times, from 1.5 Mbps in 2011 to 50 Mbps today, without ever increasing the price of the program, which has remained $9.95/month. Launched its Lift Zones program, which aims to connect more than 1,000 community centers with free WiFi by the end of 2021. Developed an Internet Essentials Partnership Program that has signed up hundreds of schools, school districts, and other organizations that have come together to help connect tens of thousands of students to the Internet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offered 60 days of free Internet service to any new Internet Essentials customer who needed to get online during the coronavirus outbreak. Expanded the number of languages our Internet Essentials call center agents can speak to more than 240, plus American Sign Language, to help ensure we break down language barriers that can prevent people from applying or getting online. Built up an online learning center that includes more than 200 digital literacy training videos, guides, and reports that are free to anyone to use, including non-customers. Developed an employee network of 3,000 Internet Essentials Ambassadors who volunteer their time to help spread the word about the program in their communities. This new commitment comes on the heels of a series of initiatives announced during the COVID-19 pandemic that reinforced the company’s commitment to addressing the digital divide and the homework gap by upping speeds to 50 Mbps without changing the program’s $9.95/month price. The company also continues to offer 60 days of free Internet service to new Internet Essentials customers who sign up before June 30, 2021. About Internet Essentials Internet Essentials is Comcast's signature digital equity initiative and the nation's largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. In 10 years, it has helped connect 10 million low-income Americans to broadband Internet at home, most for the very first time. Internet Essentials has a comprehensive design that addresses each of the three major barriers to broadband adoption. This includes: multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online, and in person; the option to purchase a heavily subsidized, low-cost Internet-ready computer; and low-cost, high-speed Internet service for $9.95 a month, plus tax. The program is structured as a partnership between Comcast and tens of thousands of school districts, libraries, elected officials, and nonprofit community partners. Comcast has never raised the price of the program. For more information about Internet Essentials and Comcast's commitment to education and digital equity, please visit https://corporate.comcast.com/education. To apply, visit www.internetessentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376 for English or 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish. Contact Details Joan Hammel +1 925-519-4874 Joan_Hammel@comcast.com Company Website https://california.comcast.com/

March 24, 2021 11:15 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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