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Comtrade 360 Appoints Technology Industry Veteran Chris Noordyke as Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager

Comtrade 360

Comtrade 360, a leading global software consultancy providing tailored software and full-stack product development services, today announced the appointment of Chris Noordyke as Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager. With an impressive track record in sales and technology, Noordyke’s primary mission is to expand Comtrade 360’s service offerings and market reach. Noordyke brings nearly 20 years of sales and technology industry experience to Comtrade 360, having served as Chief Revenue Officer at StorONE, a software storage company. Before that, Noordyke held senior roles at Rezillon, Diamanti, and Blue Medora. “Comtrade 360 is delighted to welcome Chris Noordyke as our Chief Revenue Officer based on his depth and breadth of experience helping technology organizations grow,” said Alexis Lope-Bello, CEO of Comtrade Group. “His proven leadership and strategic vision align seamlessly with our commitment to delivering exceptional services to our partners and clients.” In 2024, with leadership from Noordyke, Comtrade 360 is poised to extend its expertise within key software development services and solutions offerings related to Application Modernization, DevSecOps, DevOps, and Salesforce. “During my tenure in the software industry, I have observed Comtrade 360’s remarkable expertise and innovative approach, which are vital for any forward-thinking technology enterprise,” said Noordyke. “The company’s philosophy aligns tightly with my own belief that bringing software products to market swiftly is where competitive edge is born.” For more than 30 years, Comtrade 360 has specialized in developing customized technical solutions to meet the needs of leading enterprise infrastructures and systems software providers globally. The company’s service offerings include Application Modernization, Salesforce, Observability, Cybersecurity, Backup & Recovery, Data Management, DevOps, Cloud & Hybrid Cloud, Machine Learning, and AI solutions. Clients include HPE, Pointnext R&D, WorldRemit, Microsoft Azure, and CERN. To learn more about Comtrade 360 and its offerings, visit https://www.comtrade360.com/. About Comtrade 360 With a legacy spanning over 30 years, Comtrade 360 has been a trusted partner to the world’s leading software organizations. Specializing in tailored software and full-stack product development services, the company leverages new technological and innovative approaches. Services include Application Modernization, Salesforce, Observability, Cybersecurity, Backup & Recovery, Data Management, Fast file management based on CERN EOS, DevOps, Cloud & Hybrid Cloud, Machine Learning, and AI solutions. Clients include HPE, Pointnext R&D, WorldRemit, Microsoft Azure, and CERN. Contact Details Trust Relations Jennifer Mirabile comtrade@trustrelations.agency Company Website https://www.comtrade360.com/

January 31, 2024 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Unlocking Bitcoin's Potential: Introducing Merlin Chain, a Native L2 Solution

Merlin Chain

This week, the much-anticipated Bitcoin L2 solution Merlin Chain went live on its testnet, while its mainnet is scheduled to be launching within a month as well. Bitcoin's Network Congestion Dilemma and Scaling Solutions The evolution of Ordinals over the past year has brought the attention back to the Bitcoin ecosystem after a long period. While enhancing the excitement of the bitcoin ecosystem, it has also increased the exhaustion of network resources. The increasingly high cost of transactions, coupled with the rising price of Bitcoin itself, has added further congestion to the network and discouraged new users from becoming interested in Bitcoin. The idea of developing an EVM-compatible L2 network has been recognized as the one that would deliver the results first due to the simpleness of its implementation path. Merlin Chain is also one of the EVM-compatible L2 chains, being developed by Bitmap Tech (formerly Recursiverse), the team that built BRC-420 protocols and Bitmap.game, and is highly valued by the community due to the team's past successes. BRC-420 The BRC-420 protocol supports the combination/recursion of any file format to form a more complex inscription. Whether it's a character image, a game script, a virtual machine or an AI model, it can become an asset on Bitcoin. Its core asset, the Blue Box, has risen from an inscription cost of $0.15 to an ATH floor price of $26,000, and other assets such as Mineral and This Song About NFTs are among the most actively traded assets on the OKX market. It now has 1000+ developers and 600+ collections, and has been an excellent performer even during the bear market, the price only going up and never falling. Bitmap.Game Bitmap.Game is a fully on-chain, fully decentralized, fair-launch metaverse project. It is based on the Digital Matter Theory that underlies Bitcoin, and is open-sourced so that it can be run or verified by any client, reflecting the concept of "client agnosticism" in fully onchain games. During this time, Bitmap's market capitalization has risen from $3 million to a ATH of $290 million. With more than 30,000 holders, Bitmap has surpassed the Sandbox as the metaverse asset with the highest number of holders across all blockchains. Unlocking Bitcoin's Potential Through Innovative Magic Merlin Chain believes that L2 of Bitcoin should not just be about transferring money inexpensively, or just about being able to have the DApps, but should be about further innovating to unlock the potential of Bitcoin through its native assets, users and protocols. For example, as Bitmap is a completely decentralized asset, how to make games based on it, so that Bitmap users can enter various meta-universes at a low cost; or for the DeFi protocols based on BRC-420, how to give two-way empowerment to NFT and FT; and for minting inscriptions, how to mint L1 assets on L2 in a more cost-effective and flexible way. Only these "Bitcoin-native" innovations can continue to empower the ecosystem, rather than replicating the way Ethereum works. So far, Merlin Chain has built a powerful DApp ecosystem, the liquidity concerns have been effectively addressed, and is planning for further expansion. Leveraging ZK-Rollup for Efficient and Secure Scaling The diverse ecosystem and assets also imply higher throughput requirements and some safety risks. To solve this problem, Merlin Chain has adopted ZK-Rollup which enables the compression of a large number of transaction proofs into a simple check-sum to improve transaction efficiency and scalability. The sequencer nodes on Merlin Chain are responsible for collecting and batching transactions, generating compressed transaction data, ZK state roots, and proofs via zkEVM. The compressed transaction data and ZK Proofs are then uploaded via the decentralized Oracle network to the taproot on Bitcoin L1, which is available to the entire network to ensure transparency and security. The decentralized Oracle network nodes will be required to stake $BTC to prevent improper activities. Users can initiate challenges to the ZK-Rollup based on compressed data, ZK state roots, and ZK Proof. Successful challenges result in a rollback to the last verified state, and the forfeiture of the Oracle node's locked $BTC, ensuring the system's security and trustworthiness. Through the integration of these technologies, Merlin Chain has shown its superior technical capabilities and is on track to build an efficient, secure, and native Bitcoin L2 solution. Native Integration - Merlin Chain's Bitcoin-Centric Approach Compared to other Bitcoin L2s that are making attempts at the moment, one of the key features of Merlin Chain is that it is "Bitcoin Native". As a strong believer in Bitcoin for many years, Merlin Chain is extremely committed to the development of the Bitcoin ecosystem, and seeks to bring more users and assets to Bitcoin through their work, rather than serving other ecosystems in the name of Bitcoin. As such, Merlin Chain places a high value on the native bitcoin nature of its ecosystem's projects and users. Merlin Chain supports bitcoin-native wallets. Empowered by the Particle Network's account abstraction, users can use their bitcoin wallets to seamlessly switch between L1 and L2. Users can also experience $BTC swaps with other tokens, such as stablecoins, at any time without having to switch to an EVM wallet. In addition, Merlin Chain will support most of the major protocols on Bitcoin L1, including, but not limited to, BRC-20, Bitmap, BRC-420, Atomicals, SRC20, and Pipe. All inscriptions on L1 will be automatically whitelisted by Merlin Chain, allowing users to safely and affordably trade on it. In line with its pursuit of "Bitcoin Native", Merlin Chain plans to adopt BRC-20 as its governance token. This makes a lot more sense than other Bitcoin L2s that are currently using Ethereum standard tokens as governance tokens. The token will be released through a fair launch, with the exception of a small portion that will be distributed to VCs and the team, which will be given a 48-month release period that will not start within two years, demonstrating the team's and investors' confidence in Merlin Chain. Bridging the Gap - Simplifying Bitcoin Adoption and Fuel Growth Another tricky issue for the builders in the Bitcoin ecosystem is the lack of new users and new money coming in. While the Ordinals things have continued to be on fire, the number of active address has not seen significant growth. It is just the same group of people involved in different projects. A very fundamental reason for this is the complexity of Bitcoin. As well as the need to download a Bitcoin wallet, inscribing is also not very easy to understand, and users will need to spend at least two blocks of their time inscribing, as well as three blocks of their time for confirmation, which is complicated and time-consuming. Merlin Chain will solve this problem. Currently, Merlin Chain has been connected to 40 Ethereum chains, so for those users who are not familiar with Bitcoin, they can use their familiar wallets, such as MetaMask, and their familiar assets, such as stablecoins, $ETH, $BNB, etc. to interact on Merlin Chain. Users don't need to know the principles behind Bitcoin, or even what BRC-20 and Atomicals are, before they can experience Bitcoin in its native manner in their familiar way. For this purpose, Merlin Chain is going to integrate the first multi-chain inscription DApp, which will allow users to inscribe assets on other layers, including Bitcoin L1, on Merlin Chain. It will only take one block to wait for. At the same time, a launchpad will also be available on Merlin Chain, with a mechanism that allows every inscription launched on it to be valued at 100,000 FDV, allowing more users to easily purchase assets such as the BRC-20/ BRC-420/ Atomicals/ Runes at a very low price. Additionally, as part of its commitment to decentralization, Merlin Chain is going to release most of its governance tokens to the community. Users can stay tuned for the upcoming mainnet launch – the future of Bitcoin is about to unfold with Merlin Chain at the helm. About Merlin Chain Merlin Chain is a Bitcoin Layer2 that integrates ZK-Rollup network, decentralized oracle network, and on-chain BTC fraud proof modules. Merlin Chain is committed to empowering Bitcoin's native assets, protocols, and products on Layer1 through its Layer2 network, to Make Bitcoin Fun Again. Merlin Chainis a subsidiary product line of Bitmap Tech, a premier OG team boasting an overall market cap exceeding $500 million. The BRC-420 "Blue Box" collection under Bitmap Tech has become one of the hottest assets on Ordinals. Users can start following Merlin Chain's Twitter for more updates. Contact Details Merlin Chain Jeff bitmap@bitmap.tech

January 31, 2024 05:26 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Utah Countertop Importer Liable For Millions In Illegal Dumping Decision And Tariffs

CP Build Enterprises

A Utah-based countertop supplier has been slapped with multi-million-dollar liability imposed by the U.S Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) for illegally importing dumped and subsidized quartz countertops from China to the USA via Vietnam. CBP determined that Superior Commercial Solutions, LLC (SCS), a Utah limited liability company, evaded US anti-dumping and countervailing duties by illegally trans-shipping the countertops to the United States by means of material false statements or material omissions. As a result, SCS will be forced to pay millions of duties and other potential penalties to the CBP. According to the public version of the report released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, “ There is substantial record evidence that SCS entered covered merchandise through evasion. As SCS concedes in its administrative review request, the record provides substantial evidence that SCS entered Chinese-origin QSP (i.e., merchandise covered by the AD/CVD Orders) that was transshipped through Vietnam into the United States. SCS did not make AD/CVD deposits on these shipments, and declared them as type “01” entries, that are not subject to AD/CVD duties. This was false and, thus, the record supports a finding of evasion.” SCS imports and installs quartz countertops and cabinetry for developers and general contractors of housing and commercial buildings. Based on publicly available information, it appears that SCS will be liable for roughly $3.5 million in antidumping and countervailing duties as a result of the affirmative finding of evasion. According to industry representatives, the action could have financial impacts on Utah builders and contractors who purchase countertops and other products from SCS. “Our company and many of our customers have been aware of this situation for some time and the negative impact it has had on the Utah countertop supply industry,” said Chad Brown, General Counsel at CP Build Enterprises, a Utah-based supplier of interior finishes for commercial construction projects. “We’re even aware of one contractor who, knowing SCS was under federal investigation, decided to proceed with ordering anyway in spite of the known risk. We’ll have to see if that works out for them.” The case was brought to the attention of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency by Cambria Company LLC, a Minnesota-based manufacturer of quartz countertops. The company’s CEO, Marty Davis, has been outspoken on the issue of free and fair-trade policies and played a critical role in leveling the playing field for the domestic quartz countertops industry. Illegal dumping of Chinese goods is a significant and growing problem in the United States. It has negative ramifications for U.S. jobs, wages, price of goods and even health and safety consequences. Finally, the illegal activity poses risks of penalty for purchasers of the goods, in this case, developers and general contractors who purchase the countertops. Click here to read the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency’s Public Document. Contact Details Lindsey Ferrari +1 801-673-5618 Lindsey@wfandco.com

January 30, 2024 07:01 PM Mountain Standard Time

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DEI in Business: Just Be Fair, Respect People and Appreciate Differences

500NewsWire

Miami, Florida, Jan. 30, 2024 - ( 500NewsWire ) -- Business owners know that the success business success is tied to employee success and retainage. At EcoVentures Capital Fund employees (and clients) come in all shapes, sizes colors, religions and orientations, and successful businesses sustain relationships for years, some for decades. Fair wages are one reason but research says that treating people fairly and respectfully regardless of personal backgrounds is essential. Miami Beach features diverse, inclusive and equitable workspaces which lead to more successful outcomes. Unfortunately, the practice of inclusivity has been hijacked by people who created policing mechanisms that have led to tolerance of hate, hate speech, and hateful acts. This cannot be allowed in schools, institutions or the workplace. This dogma, which is bad for business, must be addressed. DEI programs and policies are often used to create categories of “oppressed” and “oppressor.” However, a simplified DEI 2.0 is clearer; just don’t hate. Respect. Respect everyone. Because of the war in the Middle East Jews, an oppressed people for centuries, are labeled “oppressor” as are white people and Asians. But, all Whites, Asians and Jews are not oppressors. Twenty-five years ago Miami Beach was America’s true melting pot. All voices, colors, sizes and orientations were welcomed. America’s greatness was based on the melting pot—the drive to assimilate and follow the American Dream. Wikipedia says a melting pot is “a monocultural metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements “melting together” with a common culture.” The melting pot created a vibrant society and economy. It remains a beautiful ideal. People don’t have to be the same, but needs shared values and goals. People of all faiths, colors and genders can agree that an extreme DEI orthodoxy doesn’t work. Hate aimed at an “oppressor” is tolerated but hate aimed at those who are “oppressed” is a crime. But all hate is bad. Muslim-American CNN analyst Fareed Zakaria says about DEI “In this context it is understandable that Jewish groups wonder, why do safe spaces, microaggressions, and hate speech not apply to us?” Journalist Jonathan Tobin of the Jewish News Syndicate wrote “DEI is hostile to a diversity of opinion, opposed to equality, and inclusive only of certain approved minorities (a term interpreted as excluding Jews.)” Hedge fund activist Bill Ackman says that (DEI) sees the oppressor class including white males, Asians, Jews and other people perceived to be successful and powerful.” The labels of “oppressed” and “oppressor” limit the ability to fully grasp the human condition and the relationship between people and cultures and communities. Respecting differences and rejecting all hate, hateful acts and hate speech can help the culture move forward together. Businesses and clients are different ages and genders, different cultures and colors and faiths. For success, employees and employers must work together. Many have done so years before DEI. The well-being of employees and the well-being of business are related. Businesses don’t need DEI to tell them that treating people fairly and respectfully regardless of personal backgrounds makes business sense. PULL QUOTE Unfortunately, the practice of inclusivity has been hijacked by people who created policing mechanisms that have led to tolerance of hate, hate speech, and hateful acts. This cannot be tolerated in schools, institutions or the workplace. About George Lindemann: George Lindemann has lived in Miami Beach for 25 years. He is a father, philanthropist, conservationist, writer, businessman and Chair of The Bass Museum. Media Contact George Lindemann, President, EcoVentures Capital Fund, 1 (305) 573-1626, georgelylelindemann@gmail.com, https://www.georgelindemann.com/ SOURCE George Lindemann Contact Details George Lindemann georgelylelindemann@gmail.com Company Website https://www.georgelindemann.com/

January 30, 2024 04:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Unlock Exciting Wealth Growth in 2024 with Brand-New HTX Earn

HTX

As the market took a bullish turn by the close of 2023, 2024 is expected to be a year of abundant harvest. Have you prepared your crypto investment plan for the new year? You may find exciting investment opportunities in the newly upgraded HTX Earn. Update your HTX App now to enjoy an optimized experience and explore the all-new, well-designed HTX Earn. With a stunning yet simple redesign and the incorporation of precise, smart filters, HTX Earn is dedicated to consistently enhancing the user experience by providing products and services that are more intelligent, convenient, and secure. What changes have been made to the HTX Earn page after the update? Let's take a quick look! The Updated HTX Earn: Smarter, Simpler, Smoother The brand-new HTX Earn offers smarter, simpler, and smoother features, along with enhanced user-friendliness. It features a redesigned Earn homepage with simplified product categories, introduces the New Listings section for quick access to popular and new cryptos, includes an introduction page for each product with answers to various inquiries, and offers precise product recommendations and an optimized crypto search for faster access to desired cryptos. HTX Earn continuously enhances its product experience, striving to become users' trusted assistant in crypto investment during this bullish market. Here are the highlights of our new HTX Earn: 1. New Earn Homepage, Simplifying Product Categories The redesigned Earn homepage features stunning innovation for a more intuitive and clear experience. a. Simple Earn: This section includes Flexible, Flexi Max, and Fixed products. b. Structured Products: This section includes Dual Investment and Shark Fin products. c. On-chain Earn: This section includes ETH 2.0, Staking, and On-Chain Staking. The optimized interface offers users easy and fast access to all HTX Earn products, catering to their wealth management needs in an all-around way. 2. Smart Filters, Tailored to Your Needs In this update, HTX Earn introduced smart filters, which can offer tailored product recommendations based on users' risk preferences, investment horizons, and more. This relieves users from the burden of time-consuming searches. With just a few clicks, users can access passive income products that best suit them, maximizing their wealth. 3. Optimized Crypto Search, Enabling Quick Access to Desired Products Simpler: This upgrade optimizes the new crypto search feature, while also highlighting top recommendations for users. More User-Friendly: Users can easily browse and compare all products for various cryptocurrencies on the Earn homepage, enabling them to quickly find their desired cryptos. Smarter: A New Listings section is introduced to house Earn products for newly listed popular cryptocurrencies and those with limited-time bonuses, helping users stay updated on the latest investment opportunities to boost their wealth during the bull market. 4. Introduction Pages Added, Offering One-Click Access to Efficient Earning To enhance users' understanding of various products, HTX has added an introduction page for each product category. These pages feature detailed specifications, FAQs, and operational tips, enabling users to start crypto investment with just one click. With these upgrades, HTX Earn aims to offer users a more convenient and efficient earning experience, unlocking more opportunities for wealth growth. HTX Earn: Your Trusted Ally in Navigating the Bull Market The selection of the right trading platform is the first and foremost decision for individuals engaged in crypto transactions worldwide. As a world-leading digital asset trading platform, HTX has consistently adhered to the principle of prioritizing users. Throughout 2023, HTX released Proof of Reserves (PoR) audits 12 times, reassuring users that the platform funds are 100% backed. It ensures the security of user assets through a stringent reserve policy and exemplifies its unwavering commitment to safeguarding user interests with the utmost responsibility. By picking HTX, users are selecting a stable and reliable path for making profits. HTX Earn serves as a one-stop service platform for growing and managing virtual assets, presenting a range of products that align with users' requirements. It guarantees the utmost security of assets, thanks to the exchange's robust risk management system. HTX Earn is purpose-built to deliver top-tier assets for daily passive income, coupled with a user-friendly interface that ensures a seamless and convenient wealth management experience. HTX Earn is also launching a special promotion featuring airdrops worth billions of $HTX for this upgrade. Stay tuned to HTX's latest announcements for more information. Users can update their HTX App to explore the latest features of HTX Earn. Following this, simply visit HTX's official website and click on Earn in the top navigation bar, or open the HTX App and tap Earn on the homepage, to embark on the exciting wealth growth journey in 2024. About HTX Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved over a decade from a simple cryptocurrency exchange to a comprehensive blockchain business ecosystem. This expansion covers a wide range of services including digital asset trading, financial derivatives, wallets, research, investments, incubation, and more. As a world-leading portal to Web 3.0, HTX is committed to a growth strategy focused on global expansion, ecological prosperity, wealth effect, and safety and compliance. This approach enables us to offer comprehensive, safe, and reliable services and value to virtual currency enthusiasts around the world, reinforcing our position as a global gateway to Web3. Contact Details Michael Wang glo-media@htx-inc.com Company Website https://www.htx.com/

January 30, 2024 03:22 PM Eastern Standard Time

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You're a Self-Starter But Are You Built to Finish? This Book Can Help

Greenleaf Book Group

All entrepreneurs understand what it’s like to hit a wall, to tire out and need to find a fresh source of motivation so they can finish the race. In Built to Finish: How to Go the Distance in Business and Life (Greenleaf Book Group Press, Jan. 30, 2024), Steven Pivnik provides that motivation by sharing the lessons he’s learned along the way from being a couch potato and college dropout to becoming a successful serial entrepreneur, speaker, and accomplished IRONMAN athlete In Built to Finish, Steven shares how: Embracing the grind of work and life allows you to finish the race Showing up rather than slowing down builds endurance To pace yourself on and off the track to avoid overtraining syndrome You can make your own luck through hard work and good decisions Built to Finish shows that when you tap into all of your strengths and experiences, there will be nothing in your way to keep you from achieving your goals. “I have lived a limitless life, one that recognizes that you can accomplish nearly anything, even miracles, because anything is possible if you believe and desire it enough,” says Pivnik. “I appreciate a great story about adversity and transformation. Steven's journey from couch potato and college dropout to uber successful entrepreneur and IRONMAN World Championship competitor is very inspiring. His lessons learned and key takeaways should be heeded by anyone aspiring to mount a similar journey. This is a fast-paced, inspirational, and educational read. I highly recommend it.” —Joanna Lohman, keynote speaker, former professional soccer player and member of the United States Women’s National Team, and author of Raising Tomorrow's Champions "A lot of business books teach the why of improvement, but few get into the how. Anyone who knows about elite athletes knows they must be focused on the how, and that's what Built To Finish delivers. Steven walks entrepreneurs and business owners through his own journey of scaling the heights of business and elite fitness to show us how we can be our own version of 'elite' in our lives and businesses. Highly recommended." —Shawn Rhodes, chief sales sergeant of Bulletproof Selling, keynote speaker, and author of Bulletproof Selling Pick up your copy of Built to Finish and stay updated on Steven’s endeavors by visiting www.stevenpivnik.com. About the Author Steven Pivnik is a serial entrepreneur specializing in the information technology market. He grew his last company, Binary Tree, to over 200 employees across twelve countries before realizing a successful exit with a sale to Quest Software. Steven now advises other founders and entrepreneurs looking for a similar corporate growth and company sale journey. While Steven was CEO of Binary Tree, the company was named to the Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies multiple times, including a stretch for seven years in a row. Steven was known not only for negotiating and closing multimillion-dollar licensing deals with the likes of IBM and Microsoft but also for creating a corporate culture with significantly below-average employee turnover and above-average satisfaction ratings and an executive leadership team that sparked creativity and drove a passion for winning and success across the entire organization. Steven is also an endurance sport enthusiast and enjoys triathlons of all distances as well as ultramarathons and mountaineering. He has competed in over twenty triathlons including the IRONMAN® World Championship in Kona Hawaii, eight New York City Marathons, Ultraman Florida, and numerous ultramarathons including distances of 50k, 50 miles, 100k, and 100 miles. Steven enjoys public speaking about his business and sporting adventures with the hopes of motivating others to follow in his footsteps. He can be reached at www.stevenpivnik.com. When not traveling for work or pleasure Steven and his wife split their time between their homes in Manhattan and New Jersey. About Greenleaf Book Group Greenleaf Book Group is a publisher and distributor best known for its innovative business model, distribution power, and award-winning designs. Named one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine, Greenleaf has represented more than 3,800 titles, including more than 55 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers. Learn more at www.greenleafbookgroup.com. Contact Details Greenleaf Book Group Gwen Cunningham +1 512-891-6100 media@greenleafbookgroup.com

January 30, 2024 11:43 AM Central Standard Time

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TruChoice Launches i-Factor Platform

TruChoice

TruChoice Financial Group, LLC (TruChoice), one of the largest distributors of insurance products in the financial services industry, launched its innovative i-Factor platform earlier this month at its fifth annual Climb conference. The i-Factor platform leverages technology to give financial professionals the tools needed to dig deeper into product, get business issued faster, and help their clients more effectively address their financial needs. “We’re incredibly excited to be able to offer i-Factor to our financial professionals,” said Brian Kunkel, TruChoice’s Vice President of Product and Advanced Strategies. “The i-Factor suite of cutting-edge resources is unique to TruChoice and can help those that include fixed annuities and life insurance as part of their service offerings. By enabling financial professionals with data-driven decision-making ability, we’re able to help them more effectively address their clients’ financial needs. By utilizing technology to do some of the tedious work for a user, i-Factor can also help you be more efficient in the office, opening up time to meet with and help even more clients. Additionally, considering today’s regulatory environment, having tools and resources to help you not only identify retirement income solutions but also help you conduct your due diligence with data-driven analysis is more important than ever. i-Factor provides you with documentation for compliance purposes.” For fixed annuity cases, i-Factor can help analyze clients’ current products to determine if they continue to meet their financial needs, evaluate alternatives if existing products come up short, and assist in case design for alternatives. The electronic submission platform can also help reduce Not In Good Order situations, get business issued more efficiently, and help financial professionals get paid quickly. For the added intricacies of life insurance cases, i-Factor offers digital point-of-sale technology that can transform life insurance discussions with clients, provide case management assistance with a real-time dashboard, and combine the power of TruChoice’s in-house underwriting team with innovative reinsurance solutions to help improve the ability to place more difficult cases. TruChoice is a dynamic wholesaling organization that is one of the largest distributors of insurance products in the financial services industry. We provide access to 50-plus top-rated carriers and limited distribution products, feature a full-service marketing and advertising agency, and host industry-leading practice management events. Offering fixed annuities, life insurance, and long-term care products, our size and scale allow us to meet a variety of needs for a variety of business models. Whether we are helping you find your TruPath, providing a wealth of TruSolutions, or offering our unwavering TruSupport, OUR Tru is YOU. TruChoice Financial can be followed on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook. This information is intended for insurance-licensed financial professionals. Contact Details Chris Cowan +1 678-718-1951 mediarelations@truchoicefinancial.com Company Website https://www.truchoicefinancial.com/

January 30, 2024 09:30 AM Central Standard Time

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Global Energy Metals Invests in Uranium Sector; Enters Agreement to Acquire Royalty and Option on Saskatchewan-Based Uranium Portfolio

Global Energy Metals Corporation

Vancouver, BC - TheNewswire - January 30, 202 4 - Global Energy Metals Corporation ( TSXV:GEMC ) | ( OTC:GBLEF ) | ( FSE:5GE1 ) (“Global Energy Metals”, the “Company” and/or “GEMC”), a multi-jurisdictional, multi-commodity critical mineral exploration and development company focused on growth-oriented metal projects supporting the global transition to clean energy, is pleased to announce, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, that it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (the “Agreement”) with the wholly owned subsidiary of Fulcrum Metals Plc, (“Fulcrum”) a company with shares that are quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.   Pursuant to the Agreement, Global Energy Metals will acquire an immediate 0.5% royalty on net smelter returns (the “NSR”) in Fulcrum’s Charlot-Neely, Fontaine Lake, Snowbird and South Pendleton uranium projects (collectively the “Projects”) located in Saskatchewan, Canada.  GEMC will also be granted an option  to acquire a 19.9% interest in the Projects as more particularly described below. Some of the Projects are owned 100% by Fulcrum (the “Owned Projects”), and others are optioned by Fulcrum (the “Optioned Projects”), which has obtained the consent of the optionor to the assignment of the option to GEMC. Highlights: Located in proximity to the rim of the Athabasca Basin (“Basin”), Saskatchewan,  a premium mining district and leading global source of high-grade uranium.   High grade uranium samples of up to 6.22% at Charlot-Neely and up to 1.44% at Fontaine-Lake along with anomalous rare earth samples.   Historical work at the projects has demonstrated evidence of uranium mineralization along favourable structural trends.   Future exploration requires the undertaking of a modern systematic geologic evaluation to determine the resource potential.   The Projects include mineral claims totaling over 59,000 hectares located along the margin of the Athabasca Basin. The Projects have potential for high-grade basement-hosted uranium deposits in a geological setting similar to other major discoveries on the Basin margin. This potential has been confirmed through initial exploration and evaluation by Fulcrum in 2023.  A significant number of high-grade uranium showings occur within the Projects in addition to historical small-scale uranium mining. Mitchell Smith, CEO & Director comments: “ In a world transitioning towards cleaner and greener energy solutions, one element takes center stage: uranium. This is a right time, right jurisdiction, right commodity scenario that aligns Global Energy Metals with uranium’s pivotal role in the global energy landscape. Taking a non-operating interest option and royalty on a highly prospective portfolio of Canadian uranium assets fits well with Global Energy Metals’ ongoing strategy of providing our investors investment exposure to new energy metals critical to an electrified future.   Working with Fulcrum, Global Energy will further evaluate options for the projects including the securing of a strategic operational partner to apply their technical and jurisdictional expertise to advance these North American uranium projects at a such a critical time in the nuclear power sector. We look forward to this collaboration with Fulcrum and are encouraged by the addition of a new commodity to Global Energy’s existing project, equity and royalty portfolio.”  Ryan Mee, CEO and Director of Fulcrum Metals also commented: “ The option of Fulcrum’s uranium portfolio by Global Energy provides positive leverage to all shareholders. Through the monetization of these uranium assets it provides immediate exposure to GEMC’s very active and exciting battery mineral, equity and royalty portfolio.   We are keen to work with GEMC to further delineate value for these projects at a time when demand for the commodity has been picking up globally as countries focus on transitioning to cleaner sources of energy.” KEY TERMS OF ACQUISITION On closing of the transaction, Global will acquire the NSR and a two year option (the “Option”) to acquire 19.9% of the Owned Projects and a 19.9% interest in the option agreement pertaining to the Optioned Projects (the “Option Agreement”).  In consideration for the NSR and the two year option, GEMC will issue, subject to Exchange approval, five million shares at a deemed price of CAD $0.06 per share to Fulcrum.  In order to exercise the option, GEMC will pay to Fulcrum $1M as a combination of cash and shares, as agreed to by both parties at that time, at a minimum deemed issue price (the “Floor Price”) equal to not less than the Discounted Market Price (as defined in policies of the Exchange) at the time a definitive agreement is announced by way of news release.  If the Option remains unexercised on the one-year anniversary of entering into a definitive agreement, Fulcrum is entitled to $50,000 in cash and $125,000 in shares in GEMC at a deemed price per share equal to the Floor Price. Fulcrum will remain as operator of the Projects and will maintain and keep the Projects in good standing. Should GEMC elect to exercise its option it will be provided a carried individual interest on each project on expenditures until a NI 43-101 compliant Resource estimate (or other equivalent report (a “Report”) is established. Upon completion of a Report, GEMC will be responsible pro-rata to keep the projects in good standing upon exercising the Option.  Once GEMC exercises the Option, for each resource delineated in accordance with NI 43-101 on a Property, GEMC will issue to Fulcrum $100,000 in GEMC Shares at a price per share equal to the greater of: (a) the Floor Price; and (b) a 20% premium to Volume Weighted Average Price of GEMC’s shares on the Exchange for a period of 5 days.  Post Resource, on each project, GEMC can participate or be diluted down to 2% at which time its position will convert to another 0.5% NSR royalty.   The transaction contemplated above is a “Non-Arms’ Length” transaction in accordance with applicable securities legislation, as Mitchell Smith is a director of both GEMC and Fulcrum.  Mr. Smith has declared his conflict to the boards of both companies, and abstained from voting on the transaction. The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. PROJECTS OVERVIEWS The project portfolio totals over 59k hectares targeting major structures along strike from historic Uranium mines and projects that have attracted significant investment. Discoveries such as the Arrow discovery (4.3m tonnes at 0.83% U308 https://www.nexgenenergy.ca/exploration/overview/) and Triple R discovery (2.7m tonnes at 1.94% U308 https://fissionuranium.com/projects/triple-r-deposit/project-overview/) have proved the concept of exploring along structure outside of the Athabasca basin. Click Image To View Full Size   Charlot-Neely Totalling 16,372 hectares located in Northern region of the Athabasca Basin along the Black Bay Fault.   Covers 20km of the major Black Bay fault structure which is associated within 10km of 14 historic Uranium mines of the established Beaverlodge District includes over 16km of historical EM conductors.   Several historical uranium showings with grab samples up to 6.22% and trenching samples up to 0.15%.   The Property contains vein-hosted uranium mineralisation characteristics of the Beaverlodge area with potential for unconformity-style mineralisation at depth - unconformity deposits are known to be larger and contain higher uranium grades.   Extensive radioactivity throughout the property including new radioactive hotspots identified in 2023 located along and near structural lineaments is attributed to shear-hosted and vein-type uranium mineralisation.   The presence of off-scale radiation (>65,535 counts per second “cps”), yellow, U-oxide-stained fractures with sub-one percent uranium, and strong hematite alteration is considered typical of structurally-controlled uranium mineralisation.   Sampling in 2023 returned numerous anomalous uranium samples including over 5,510ppm U and scintillometer measurements of >65,535 cps at the historical Peacock showing.   Sampling exhibits strong hematite alteration along fracture planes and contain alteration overprinting the original rock enriching the sample in finely disseminated uranium - visible yellow uranium oxides are present.   The radioactive zone is spatially associated with a large quartz vein and paragneiss/altered pegmatite veining.   Evidence of strong deformation, proximity to a major fault (Long Lake Fault), and strong alteration signatures make this a target location for hydrothermal, vein-type uranium mineralisation.   Additional recommended work includes prospecting, EM and Magnetic geophysical surveys, geochemical surveys and geological mapping of key showings to advance the project to drill ready stage. Click Image To View Full Size   Fontaine Lake Covers 5,987 hectares located in the Grease River area, northeast of Lake Athabasca.   Several historical uranium sowings of up to 1.44% uranium along with rare earth samples of up to 4,732ppm TREE, 6,940ppm Nb and 1,170ppm Ta   2023 sampling returned scintillometer readings up to 53,000 cps and 7,130ppm U by laboratory assay.   The Property contains known vein-hosted uranium mineralization in addition to anomalously radioactive granites (Alaskite-type) generally characteristic of low-grade high-tonnage deposits, comparable to the geological setting of the Rossing deposit in Namibia.   Given the large volume of the radioactive granites on and near the property, these rocks are candidates to explain the strongly elevated uranium values observed in the regional lake sediment sample data.   Further work recommendations include prospecting to follow up on unexplored radiometric highs to confirm sources of radioactivity which may be masked by radioactive granites; gridded outcrop sampling over strongly radioactive zones in the granite to determine the potential for Alaskite-type mineralization on the Property; and soil or radon geochemical surveys to help delineate prospective structures related to high grade, vein type mineralisation. Click Image To View Full Size   Snowbird The project covers 32,836 hectares of the largely underexplored Cora Lake and Legs Lake Shear zones between major NE and SW Snowbird faults and the Black Lake Fault, Northern Saskatchewan.   The Black Lake structure can be traced for at least 200km across the entire Athabasca Basin and is associated with the Centennial deposit.   The project is on trend with the Historic Nisto Uranium Mine and notable projects Fir Island held by Forum Energy, Cree Bay held by F3 Uranium, projects held by Kobald Metals, the Black Lake project held by UEC and recent staking by Dennison Mines.   Mining first occurred at the Nisto Uranium Mine in 1950-51. In 1959, Haymac Mines restarted mining and shipped 500 tons of high-graded ore to the Lorado Mill at Uranium City, SK. One shipment of 106 tons of ore graded 1.6% U3O8 (Source: Saskatchewan Mineral Deposits Index, Mineral Property #1621).   Limited historic airborne surveys include Uranium airborne anomalies that have not been followed up on.   Limited Lake sediment surveys identified a number of highly prospective REE targets and limited rock sampling identified the Bompas lake uranium occurrence suggesting a significantly wide zone of anomalous mineralisation for which the source of the anomalies had not been identified. Click Image To View Full Size   South Pendleton The project covers 4,115 hectares of the Needles Fall shear Zone, south of the Athabasca basin   Under-explored area that is sparsely mapped.   Covers 20km of major faulting.   Several airborne Uranium squared anomalies are within the property that are yet to be followed up on.   Radioactive boulders of up to 7.17% U308 to the North.   In an area that is seeing substantial investment and development.   FULCRUM METALS PLC Fulcrum Metals PLC (LON: FMET) is an AIM quoted exploration company which finances and manages exploration projects focused on Canada, widely recognised as a top mining jurisdiction.   Fulcrum currently holds a beneficial 100% interest in highly prospective gold and base metals projects in Ontario and uranium projects in Saskatchewan.   Fulcrum’s strategy is to focus on discovery and commercialisation of its Projects through targeted exploration programmes. The primary focus is to make an economic discovery on the flagship Schreiber-Hemlo Properties and to establish the prospectivity of its wider Ontario and Saskatchewan portfolio with a view to securing potential joint venture and/or acquisition interest.   The Schreiber – Hemlo properties have a history of prospecting and localised extraction since the late 19th century. However, coherent property-level exploration programmes have been limited or absent, particularly in recent times. Fulcrum has an opportunity to carry out such a programme and this approach provides the best opportunity to fully explore the significant prospectivity of the properties. A recent structural study identified 42 priority exploration targets, of which 24 targets within the Big Bear property and 18 in the Jackfish property, with 14 in total (9 on Big Bear and 5 on Jackfish) being ranked as high priority for follow-up. The properties have the potential to host a large, structurally controlled, stratabound-style banded iron formation (BIF) gold prospect similar to the Musselwhite deposit (McNicoll et al., 2016), in addition to an Archean greenstone, orogenic-style lode gold prospect, extending past the bounds of known historical mineral occurrences.   The Tully property, 458 hectares in area, is located 30 kilometres northeast of Timmins, Ontario and includes the Tully (Timmins North) deposit, which has been the focus of several drilling campaigns since its discovery in 1969. The Tully deposit is located 2 kilometres southwest of the Bradshaw Gold Project of Gowest Gold Ltd., currently in development. The property is accessed by an all-weather gravel road that extends 15 kilometres to the east off of highway 655.   While highly prospective, Fulcrum’s mining assets are in the exploration phase, so Fulcrum stands to be able to add significantly to the inherent value through exploration success. Fulcrum will continually review opportunities with potential and with a view to increasing shareholder value. It is the Board’s intention to deliver medium and long-term growth and to establish the Group as a significant exploration company.   Qualified Person Click Image To View Full Size   Mr. Paul Sarjeant, P. Geo., is the qualified person for this release as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.  He is a shareholder and Director of the Company. For Further Information: Global Energy Metals Corporation #1501-128 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC, V6B 1R8 Email: info@globalenergymetals.com t. + 1 (604) 688-4219 www.globalenergymetals.com Twitter: @EnergyMetals | @USBatteryMetals | @ElementMinerals Global Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV:GEMC | OTCQB:GBLEF | FSE:5GE1) Global Energy Metals Corp. offers investment exposure to the growing rechargeable battery and electric vehicle market by building a diversified global portfolio of exploration and growth-stage battery mineral assets. Global Energy Metals recognizes that the proliferation and growth of the electrified economy in the coming decades is underpinned by the availability of battery metals, including cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium and other raw materials. To be part of the solution and respond to this electrification movement, Global Energy Metals has taken a ‘consolidate, partner and invest’ approach and in doing so have assembled and are advancing a portfolio of strategically significant investments in battery metal resources. As demonstrated with the Company’s current copper, nickel and cobalt projects in Canada, Australia, Norway and the United States, GEMC is investing-in, exploring and developing prospective, scaleable assets in established mining and processing jurisdictions in close proximity to end-use markets. Global Energy Metals is targeting projects with low logistics and processing risks, so that they can be fast tracked to enter the supply chain in this cycle.  The Company is also collaborating with industry peers to strengthen its exposure to these critical commodities and the associated technologies required for a cleaner future. Securing exposure to these critical minerals powering the eMobility revolution is a generational investment opportunity. Global Energy Metals believes Now is the Time to be part of this electrification movement.     Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:   Certain information in this release may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve risks associated with regulatory approvals and timelines. Although Global Energy Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.   GEMC’s operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of a contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of illness caused by COVID-19. It is not possible to accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect operations and the ability to finance its operations. For more information on Global Energy and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review the filings that are available at www.sedar.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek safe harbour.

January 30, 2024 10:26 AM Eastern Standard Time

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PathAI launches six additional oncology indications for PathExplore, an AI-powered pathology panel for spatial analysis of the tumor microenvironment

PathAI

PathAI, a global leader in AI-powered pathology, today announced the launch of six additional oncology indications for PathExplore™, the world’s first structured, standardized and scalable panel for characterization of the tumor microenvironment (TME) from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained whole-slide images (WSIs). The additional indications are ovarian, bladder, liver, small cell lung, lymphoma, and head and neck cancers. PathExplore first launched in April 2023 with 8 indications, including non-small cell lung, breast, colorectal, skin, gastric, prostate, kidney, and pancreatic cancers. With this expansion, PathExplore human interpretable features (HIFs) will now be available across 14 oncology indications to accelerate the next phase of precision oncology. The last decade has seen significant strides in oncology drug development, but challenges remain – many cancer patients do not respond to available treatments, and many aren’t eligible for potentially transformative therapies because of a lack of actionable biomarkers. Distinct cell populations, tissue structures, and their spatial distributions across the TME represent some of the most promising areas of oncology research, however; traditional approaches are unable to access the full resolution of histopathology data at scale. “Pathology is the only data modality to define and quantify morphological changes resulting from treatment or disease progression,” said Andy Beck, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer and co-founder of PathAI. “PathExplore enables researchers and drug developers to effortlessly investigate standard characteristics of the TME, such as the abundance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, as well as spatial characteristics that were previously impossible to measure such as the ratio of lymphocytes to fibroblasts near the epithelial-stromal interface.” Since launch, PathExplore has established itself as the gold-standard in AI-powered digital pathology for oncology drug development. PathAI has partnered with over 50 pharma, biotech, academic, and laboratory partners to analyze >150,000 WSIs, resulting in 50+ publications and presentations. “PathExplore represents a tremendous leap forward in biological research, bypassing long standing constraints of many existing modalities by combining the widespread availability of H&E with the unprecedented resolution of AI,” said Mike Montalto, PhD, chief scientific officer at PathAI. “By expanding the availability of PathExplore’s structured pathology data into new disease areas, we’re empowering drug developers to continue to uncover insights that go beyond existing biomarkers.” To learn more about PathExplore, download our ebook that highlights real-world applications of AI-powered pathology solutions including PathExplore, in various stages of drug development programs. PathExplore is For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. About PathAI PathAI is the only AI-focused technology company to provide comprehensive precision pathology solutions from wet lab services to algorithm deployment for clinical trials and laboratory use. Their AI-powered models are rigorously trained and validated with data from more than 15 million annotations and are used to optimize the analysis of pathology samples to improve efficiency and accuracy, while also accelerating drug development. PathAI is headquartered in Boston, MA, and manages a CAP/CLIA-certified laboratory in Memphis, TN. For more information, please visit www.pathai.com. Contact Details SVM Public Relations and Marketing Communications Maggie Naples +1 401-490-9700 pathai@svmpr.com Company Website https://www.pathai.com/

January 30, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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