DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Newmont Publishes 2024 Sustainability and Taxes & Royalties Reports
Author: sHq_LoGiNz
Client background
HII Mission Technologies (Huntington Ingalls Industries) is the largest military shipbuilder and a global engineering and defense technologies provider, with over 135 years in trusted partnerships with the US national security.
As HII has evolved and built a longstanding shipbuilding legacy, they’ve advanced to provide delivery critical technology solutions. These include unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and machine learning, synthetic training, electronic warfare, and C5ISR: Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. HII’s ongoing digital transformation efforts extend into all business areas and impact the entire workforce.
The business challenge
When HII completed an acquisition that doubled its size, two ERP systems needed to be combined to ensure operations went smoothly. The newly acquired company needed to be quickly converted into the same ERP system that HII had been relying upon for so many years.
Integrating such an enormous entity into HII’s Costpoint infrastructure would be a challenging project. HII has over 7,000 employees, with all of them using their timekeeping capabilities and Costpoint. In addition, HII works with 1,200 subcontractors that also rely on the time system, program managers and project controllers, all managing and monitoring projects and back-office staff.
Baker Tilly, as a Deltek system’s integrator, worked with HII and synchronized systems across the two organizations and ensured the needs of both sides were met.
Strategy and solution
Deltek Costpoint has been HII’s ERP of choice for operations management for more than two decades. As Costpoint’s ERP is project-based and built specifically for government contractors, it offers an all-in-one system delivering innovation and intelligence across the project lifecycle.
Baker Tilly helped HII implement Costpoint for the newly acquired company. Despite the size and complexity of the implementation, Baker Tilly successfully completed the project in months.
“I think it’s important to focus on the scale and timeline of this project,” says Colt Meraw, Senior Manager on Baker Tilly’s team. “HII acquired a multibillion-dollar company that was running on a JAMIS system, and we were able to successfully complete a mid-year conversion within just six months.”
As part of the integration project, Baker Tilly also worked closely with Deltek Global Consulting’s data conversion team to help them translate requirements and convert and validate data. Having completed in June 2022, and experiencing six months on a combined system, HII is still harvesting benefits and seeing huge success.
Why choose Baker Tilly
Baker Tilly was Deltek’s first strategic alliance partner to provide consultancy services as part of their ERP implementation project. Helping government contractors leverage technology solutions through specialist knowledge and project management rigor.
By leveraging Deltek Costpoint in the Cloud, HII will be able to embrace its future of enterprise transformation and solidify its position as the nation’s largest military shipbuilder.
Interested in learning more? Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist today.
- Lake DeForest has been an indispensable source of drinking water for the Rockland County community since 1956.
- An average of 10 million gallons of water from the Lake DeForest Reservoir are treated and distributed to over 300,000 county residents daily.
- Protecting drinking water supplies like Lake DeForest is a critical part of Veolia’s GreenUp strategy.
WEST NYACK, N.Y., May 15, 2025 /3BL/ – Veolia New York marks National Drinking Water Week (May 4 – 10) by celebrating Lake DeForest Reservoir’s designation as an American Landmark. This recognition by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is reserved for long-standing buildings, reservoirs or towers that have a direct and significant relationship with water supply, treatment, distribution or technological development.
Chris Graziano, Regional President of Veolia New York said: “Lake DeForest plays a critical role in our ability to supply Rockland County with reliable drinking water. It has also offered generations of customers a beautiful place to escape into nature for bird-watching, fishing and hiking. We’re grateful and excited that the AWWA has recognized Lake DeForest for the important and long-lasting benefits it brings to our community.”
Construction of the reservoir began in 1952 and was completed in 1956. It was named after Benjamin F. DeForest, a former president of the Hackensack Water Company, which later became part of Veolia (formerly United Water and SUEZ).
Lake DeForest collects water from various sources, including the Hackensack River and its tributaries. Water is drawn from the reservoir and treated at an adjacent surface water treatment plant, which has an average treatment capacity of 10 millions gallons per day (MGD). It provides about one third of Rockland’s drinking water.
Over its nearly seven decades, Lake DeForest has also become a popular recreational destination for the local community. Through Veolia’s Watershed Recreation Program, over 800 people register each year to access the reservoir for fishing, hiking and bird watching from mid-April through the end of November.
To celebrate the vitality of the reservoir as an indispensable resource, Veolia opens up the reservoir for community kayaking during its annual Veolia Lake DeForest Day. This event, in its ninth year, also features a kayak challenge between Rockland County’s local volunteer fire departments. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, June 28.
Protecting Drinking Water Supplies is Part of Veolia’s Green Up Strategy
Ensuring access to clean drinking water is at the root of Veolia’s 171-year history. Through its GreenUp strategy, Veolia has reemphasized its commitment to advancing water technologies and solutions that treat new and emerging contaminants. At Lake DeForest’s drinking water plant, the company is investing $100 million over a five-year period to install treatment technology that will address PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and provide for overall enhanced water quality.
ABOUT VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA
A subsidiary of Veolia Group, Veolia North America (VNA) offers a full spectrum of water, waste and energy management services, including water and wastewater treatment, commercial and hazardous waste collection and disposal, energy consulting and resource recovery. VNA helps commercial, industrial, healthcare, higher education and municipality customers throughout North America. Headquartered in Boston, Mass., Veolia North America has more than 10,000 employees working at more than 350 locations across the continent.
ABOUT VEOLIA GROUP
Veolia Group aims to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with 215,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for the management of water, waste and energy that are contributing to a radical turnaround of the current situation. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, to preserve available resources and to renew them. In 2024, the Veolia group provided 111 million inhabitants with drinking water and 98 million with sanitation, produced 42 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 65 million tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) achieved consolidated revenue of 44.7 billion euros in 2024.
CONTACT
VEOLIA NEW YORK
Sophia Salis
Director, Communications and Community Relations
914-506-2327
sophia.salis@veolia.com
ROCHESTER, NY, May 15, 2025 /3BL/ Key Private Bank will be partnering with Rochester Area Community Foundation to share expert insights for local non-profit organizations facing recent uncertainty and navigating the current state of affairs.
The panel, “Strategies for Non-Profits to Navigate Uncertain Times,” is free to attend and will be held from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21 at the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship.
Moderated by KeyBank Rochester Market President and Key Private Bank Market Leader Vincent Lecce, the panel will include:
- Rochester Area Community Foundation President and CEO Simeon Banister
- KeyBank Institutional Advisors National Director of Philanthropic Advice Cindy McDonald
- KeyBank Institutional Advisors National Director of Institutional Investments Ken Senvisky
The forum will provide context, ideas, and best practices on how non-profit leaders can collectively navigate these challenging times.
“There has been a tremendous amount of uncertainty these days, which has been particularly impactful some non-profits that provide necessary services to our community,” said Lecce. “KeyBank is committed to supporting non-profits that help communities thrive.”
Local non-profit leaders and stakeholders are encouraged to attend.
Those interested in attending the panel discussion can register here.
ABOUT KEYCORP
In 2025, KeyCorp celebrates its bicentennial, marking 200 years of service to clients and communities from Maine to Alaska. To learn more, visit KeyBank Heritage Center. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $189 billion at March 31, 2025.
Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.
ABOUT ROCHESTER AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
In partnership with generous philanthropists and community partners, Rochester Area Community Foundation works to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in the eight-county region through its leadership and strategic grantmaking. Known as the steward of charitable funds and endowments, the Foundation connects donors with the region’s current and evolving needs. As a leading grantmaker, the Foundation is focused on two broad goals: creating an equitable community and strengthening our region’s vitality. Since it was founded in 1972, the Community Foundation has distributed more than $730 million in grants and scholarships.
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“Living with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) can be an isolating experience,” explains Dilek, a mother of two from Germany who suffers from the rare chronic liver disease.
“All the Feelings with PBC,” a new campaign led by Gilead in collaboration with the PBC Foundation and Friends of the PBC Foundation, aims to change that. The campaign showcases the stories of people living with PBC through paintings by Berlin-based artist Nour Khwies.
Nour’s paintings translate the experiences of patients into a visual art form by vividly portraying the daily challenges of living with PBC and amplifying patients’ emotions. Dilek was the first patient she painted and Nour describes what she captured during the session.
“It’s not something you can see from the outside, but inside, there’s sadness, resilience and a desire not to burden others,” Nour says. “I wanted to express that.”
By transforming lived experiences into visual art, “All the Feelings with PBC” helps build PBC awareness so patients can feel seen, heard and understood. The paintings will be exhibited at medical congresses across Europe through 2026 and will later be auctioned to support the PBC Foundation’s mission.
“It’s critical to create space for honest conversations,” says Carrie Frenette, Executive Director of Global Medical Affairs, Liver Diseases at Gilead. “This initiative helps bring those conversations to the forefront.”
Watch the video to learn more.
BEIJING, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — BOE successfully conducted the second edition of its exclusively-hosted “Define the Future Green Eco-Forum” on May 15 during Display Week 2025. Centered on the theme of “Green Development”, the forum advocated for symbiotic win-win solutions, transitioning from consumption to circularity, and fostering dialogue on industry-wide green ecosystems. At the event, BOE’s recently launched sustainability brand in Beijing “ONE” (Open Next Earth), the first of its kind in the industry, made its overseas debut after its initial release in Beijing. The event gathered over a hundred industry and academic experts, as well as eco-partners from the industrial chain. Attendees included John Kymissis, President of the Society for Information Display (SID); Dr. Yan Qun, President of Display Week China; Professor Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, Vice Chair of IPCC from Central European University; Cheng Ming, SVP of Global R&D at 3M Transportation & Electronics Business Group; Alex Yao, General Manager of Electronics at Air Liquide China; Jimmy Smith, Worldwide Business Manager for Displays at Lenovo; Dr. Cheonhong Kim, Display Architect at Meta; and Chen Heqiang, Vice President of GE Healthcare China and General Manager of China Supply Chain. The BOE delegation was led by CEO Feng Qiang, aloneside Yun Xiangnan, Senior Vice President; Jiang Xingqun, Senior Vice President and Co-Chief Technology Officer, and Guo Jian, General Manager of BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd. The successful hosting of the forum not only signifies BOE’s leadership in guiding the industry towards a higher dimension of sustainable development but also provides significant reference for Chinese tech enterprises in exploring green development and practicing ESG concepts in the global context.
In his opening remarks, Feng Qiang noted that 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the UN Global Compact’s ESG principle, reflecting the alignment between corporate and societal progress as we embark on a new chapter toward a green future. “This year is BOE’s twelfth participation in the Display Week, and it also marks the twentieth anniversary of the UN Global Compact’s establishment of the ESG framework. So today is really a perfect moment for us to open a new, greener chapter together. As a cornerstone of our digital age, the display industry is witnessing green development initiatives being prioritized like never before. For over thirty years, BOE has consistently embedded the green development philosophy at the core of our corporate strategy. We believe a truly great company is not defined only by technological leadership or market share, but also by the long-term value it creates for human society. We believe that embracing green development will unlock boundless opportunities. Let us join hands to define a new paradigm that is greener, smarter, and more harmonious for all!” Feng added.
Guo Jian shared BOE’s achievements in green technology and manufacturing. He outlined BOE’s three-pronged approach for sustainable innovation, namely, planning, R&D, and certification. The company started with a scientific green product plan and focused on reducing carbon emissions from the very beginning of product planning. During development, it emphasized low-carbon design, materials, and end-of-life treatment. For certification, BOE has completed carbon footprint quantification, disclosure, and verification. All these measures reflect BOE’s “full life cycle” philosophy in promoting environmental sustainability.
For years, BOE has actively responded to national dual-carbon strategy, explored carbon reduction potential and innovated energy-saving measures. In terms of green manufacturing, BOE is operating multiple eco-friendly facilities, including 18 “national-level green factories”, among them, the display industry’s only “national zero-waste enterprise,” one “lighthouse factory,” two “carbon-neutral factories,” seven plants with UL 2799 zero landfill platinum certification, as well as nine participating in the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). BOE’s ongoing commitment to green operations through energy-saving technological changes, AI adoption, efficient management, and resource recycling in the aim of driving comprehensive decarbonization and leading a zero-carbon future. During the event, participants also shared their sustainability initiatives and expressed their intentions to innovate cooperation models with BOE in green production, manufacturing, products and applications.
Technological innovation remains pivotal to the sustainable growth of a company. In the AI era, AI technology has emerged as one of the key drivers of rapid technological advancement, demonstrating immense application potential across industries. Amid this context, BOE continues to spearhead technological innovation and strategically plan for the future with a forward-looking vision. In 2024, the company unveiled its “AI+” strategy, concentrating on three core application areas, AI+Manufacturing, AI+Products, and AI+Operations, leading the industry in achieving technological leaps. Jiang Xingqun highlighted that as the tide of technological progress surges forward, AI has become the core driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and is reshaping industries with its unstoppable momentum. Currently, BOE is utilizing the “AI+Display” convergence model to drive profound and multi-dimensional transformations across products, manufacturing, and operations. Moving forward, BOE will resolutely deepen the integration of AI, display technologies with industry applications, continuously building its innovation capabilities to explore the infinite possibilities in the field of display.
Yun Xiangnan provided a profound interpretation of BOE’s sustainable development brand “ONE” overseas for the first time at the site. He stated that “ONE” signifies a new starting point for BOE’s growth, embodying three brand values: openness and inclusiveness (Open), innovation leadership (Next), and perpetual ecosystem (Earth). It unites consensus through openness, defines the future through innovation, and protects the ecosystem through sustainability. As BOE enters its fourth decade, we reaffirm that sustainable development is not a temporary measure, it constitutes a new genetic code for industrial evolution. We will unite the entire sector via a common objective and concerted action to shape a beautiful vision: One Earth, One Future.
The forum concluded with BOE and partners launching the “ONE” Action, which sincerely invites global stakeholders to restructure industry competitiveness through sustainable development, empowering business to benefit society, fostering ecosystems for the future, bridging innovation with human potential via three transformative approaches: breaking short-sighted competition, building symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship; eliminating resource depletion, establishing a circular regeneration system; dismantling technological barriers and creating an open sharing environment.
Looking ahead, BOE will continue to implement its “Empower IoT With Display” development strategy, uphold longtermism, and join hands with more partners to build a virtuous cycle of green ecosystems. By empowering every display with eco-responsibility through advanced technologies, BOE will drive high-quality sustainable growth in the industry by combining the open innovation of “Tech” with the environmental commitment of “Green” to safeguard humanity’s future.
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SOURCE BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
April is Global Volunteer Month. All month long, we’re recognizing some of the ways Cisco employees give their time, skills, and expertise in their communities.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina formed over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and went on to become a Category 5 storm that would devastate the city of New Orleans. In response to the disaster, Cisco deployed what was then its Tactical Operations, or TacOps, team to help reestablish connectivity for first responders and victims.
Now, 20 years later, what was then TacOps has evolved to become Cisco Crisis Response, a corporate function with a mission of providing connectivity in response to crisis, backed by the strength of more than 800 employee volunteers who comprise the CCR Community.
CCR Community volunteers are ready to be deployed to natural disasters and humanitarian crises on short notice. Their mission is to deliver the connectivity needed to help first responders assess a community’s needs, coordinate an effective response, and begin the process of recovery while enabling victims to contact their loved ones and access the critical information and services they need to rebuild their lives.
To ensure they’re ready when the call comes, hundreds of CCR Community volunteers complete in-person and virtual trainings where they learn how to quickly establish connectivity in the most challenging of circumstances.
CCR Community volunteers recently attended training in Rome and Munich, and I talked to three volunteers who participated: Michele Festuccia, a solutions engineering leader, and Maurizio Cocco, a solutions engineer, both from Italy, and Anna Boom, a customer experience leader in Germany. Here are some highlights from our conversation.
Volunteers Answering the Call
I asked Anna why she signed up to volunteer with the CCR Community.
“Seeing the different areas where the CCR team has deployed—everything from hurricanes to floods and wildfires—and being able to support those missions seemed like such an incredible way to give back to the community,” she said.
It’s a sentiment shared by many CCR volunteers: a desire to contribute to something larger than oneself, alleviate suffering, and stand in solidarity with those affected by crises. CCR allows us to do that in the context of providing Cisco’s unique connectivity offerings—a powerful combination.
Michele shared , “When there is a call, training positions us to be prepared to go in the field to support a critical situation.”
More Than Tech: The Human Element
As the volunteers discovered, volunteering with the CCR Community is about more than technical expertise.
“Our training included crisis simulations. The practice scenario kept us all on our toes and made us realize that when a crisis happens, you have to prepare in different ways that are outside of technical and really come back to connecting with people,” explained Anna.
Having the technical chops to build a wi-fi network when infrastructure is wiped out is one thing, but being a CCR Community volunteer means also needing to deliver human connection and adapt to evolving situations in the moment.
The empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills needed to effectively assist communities during crises are as much a part of the CCR volunteer tools as our rapid response kits, and our Network Emergency Response Vehicle (NERV).
Giving Back is in Cisco’s DNA
Giving back as a habit is part of what it means to work at Cisco and is an important aspect of our culture. In fact, in FY24, 70,000 Cisco employees around the world acted in service of people, planet, and society—the fifth consecutive year that 80% or more of Cisco employees did so.
Maurizio talked about how giving back is just part of what we do.
“It’s part of our DNA to support and to give back during this kind of, let’s say, not so good period,” he said. “As part of Michele’s team during the 2016 earthquake in central Italy, with the support of Cisco, we were able to support those affected and create a sort of hybrid Cisco Meraki kit.”
Michele explained why they volunteered for the CCR Community. “We wanted to join the CCR team to tap into the resources of the larger CCR organization. As Maurizio said, giving back is in the DNA of the people on my team.”
By bringing their expertise and local experience to the CCR Community and leveraging its resources, Maurizio and Michele are able to amplify their impact and create a more coordinated response to crises.
Worldwide Volunteers for Local Impact
Speaking of local experience, talking to Michele, Maurizio, and Anna was a reminder of the value of having and training volunteers worldwide.
When crisis happens, there’s nothing like having a deep bench of trained volunteers all around the globe—one reason why capacity building is one of the key tenets of CCR.
Sending someone who doesn’t speak Italian to respond to a crisis in Italy is just not efficient or effective. At 800 volunteers strong, the CCR Community ensures we bring a wide variety of expertise and skills to every crisis.
Preparedness is Key
The training sessions in Munich and Rome underscored the need for preparedness and clear processes in responding to crises.
“Being prepared and proactive about all the processes that are needed in facing a crisis is critical,” said Maurizio. “Everyone who is a volunteer has to be managed in a proper way in order not to create confusion but to provide help, to provide support.”
Michele agreed: “All our volunteers need to know what they can do and what they can’t do. The capability to plan and to work in a synchronized way with the other people is the first principle that we learned during the training.”
Beyond the Bottom Line
In our discussion, we also talked about the perceived business value of philanthropic work in a corporate context—what value humanitarian work brings to the business side of things.
Michele explained that building relationships and building trust “is a different way to present Cisco to the market.”
A Call to Action
We have the deepest appreciation for the dedication and passion of CCR volunteers. Their stories serve as a powerful reminder that volunteerism is not just about providing aid, but about building connections, fostering resilience, and creating a more compassionate world.
As Anna put it, “Volunteering is a way to give back to the community and support Cisco because it’s such an important thing that we do.”
So, as we celebrate Global Volunteer Month, let us all be inspired by these individuals and find our own unique ways to give back to our communities. Whether it’s through skilled volunteerism, direct service, or simply offering a helping hand, every act of kindness makes a difference.
To learn more about the impact Cisco employees are making, check out our “What We Accomplished” eBook about how we have supported our employees’ giving back efforts and transformed our collective contributions in the process.
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Originally posted by WTVI PBS Charlotte
Discover how with a single hydroelectric dam the company rapidly expanded to fuel the region’s booming textile industry.
Click here to watch the video.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage.
More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.
WASHINGTON, May 15, 2025 /3BL/ – The Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) today announced the release of its 6th Annual Making the Case for Corporate Social Impact Toolkit—a must-have resource for corporate social impact professionals navigating the complex and evolving landscape of corporate responsibility.
Developed to support practitioners in building internal alignment, securing resources, and demonstrating business value, this year’s toolkit includes new data, messaging frameworks, and scenario-based guidance grounded in the latest research and stakeholder insights.
“Corporate social impact professionals face unprecedented pressure to demonstrate the tangible business value of their work and programs,” said Andrea Wood, President & CEO of ACCP. “This toolkit arms practitioners with robust data and a strategic message framework to advocate for their work and clearly align with business goals.”
The 2025 toolkit includes data that supports the following:
- Corporate social impact helps companies retain and recruit top talent
- Integrated corporate social impact programs drive improved financial performance
- Corporate social impact builds brand reputation, loyalty and trust that can spur growth and mitigate risk
The 2025 edition also introduces new content to help practitioners manage rising scrutiny and risk while staying true to company values.
The Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) is the preeminent membership organization advancing the practice of corporate social impact. ACCP increases the effectiveness of corporate social impact professionals and their companies by sharing knowledge, fostering solutions, and cultivating inclusive and supportive peer communities. ACCP amplifies the voices of its practitioner network to elevate strategies that work, provide innovative solutions, and expand impact.
TORONTO, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX: LABS) (“MediPharm” or the “Company“), a pharmaceutical company specialized in precision-based cannabinoids, today provided its shareholders with additional information about the six nominees for its board of directors (the “Dissident Nominees“) submitted by Apollo Technology Capital Corporation (“Apollo“).
The Dissident Nominees were listed and described in a dissident proxy circular filed on May 7, 2025 (the “Dissident Circular“) and are expected to stand for election at the Company’s Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders on June 16, 2025.
The Board’s overall concerns with the Dissident Nominees
Following an initial review, the MediPharm Board of Directors (the “Board“) has identified a number of concerns about the qualifications of the Dissident Nominees both individually and collectively. These concerns include:
- Insufficient experience in the cannabis and pharmaceutical sectors
- Limited public company board experience
- Interlocking relationships among the nominees
- Troublesome track record of the lead dissident
- Potential conflicts of interest
- Limited career experience and skills
- Lack of diversity
Chris Taves, Chair of MediPharm, comments:
“Serving as a director of a public company carries significant responsibility and requires substantial experience. As a whole, the Board must possess a wide range of specific skills in order to effectively carry out its fiduciary responsibilities, including amongst other things, adherence to proper corporate governance. While some of the Dissident Nominees have had relevant career experience, we are concerned that this group, collectively, does not have the mix of qualifications necessary to run a complex international business like MediPharm.”
The Dissident Nominees include the following individuals:
- Regan McGee
- Scott Walters
- David Lontini
- Demetrios Mallios
- John Fowler
- Alan D. Lewis II
The Board’s concerns about the Dissident Nominees can be summarized as follows.
Insufficient experience in the cannabis and pharmaceutical sectors
Only two of the Dissident Nominees, Mr. Fowler and Mr. Walters, have any experience in the cannabis sector. Their cannabis experience has primarily been in the recreational space, which is significantly different from the medical space where the Company’s focus lies. The medical cannabis sector requires specialized understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing standards, global regulatory compliance, and medical distribution channels — expertise which none of the nominees appear to possess. The Company’s business is now seeing meaningful growth in the international markets, as a result of it building out its international medical business, where it has a clear competitive advantage and ability to create shareholder value. No Dissident Nominee appears to have any experience in the pharmaceutical sector, in which MediPharm operates.
Limited public company director experience
The Dissident Circular indicates that the Dissident Nominees currently serve as directors of five public companies. Of these, at least four appear to be non-operating companies or speculative entities that would not typically provide a director with opportunities to acquire the type of skills and experience relevant for an active, complex business like MediPharm. Those five companies generate a median revenue of zero, and have a combined market capitalization that is roughly equal to that of MediPharm. They include:
- Check-Cap Ltd. (Mr. Lontini) is a reverse merger candidate with no revenue whose value is based primarily on its public listing and its declining cash balance.
- Big Gold Inc. (Mr. Walters) is an exploration-stage mining company with a market capitalization below C$1 million.
- Maxus Mining Inc. (Mr. Walters) is an exploration-stage mining company whose shares began to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange on May 8, 2025.
- Invent Ventures Inc. (Mr. Lewis) is “an incubator that builds, acquires, and invests in transformative businesses.” Its market capitalization and annual revenue are both below USD$1 million, more than seven years after Mr. Lewis and Mr. Mallios became controlling shareholders of Invent through their firm, The Aeon Group, and began to serve personally as officers and directors.
- Paragon Technologies Inc. (Mr. Lontini), a holding company with a market capitalization of approximately USD$15 million, appears to be the largest public company on the list. Mr. Lontini has been a director for less than six months.
The Board is not aware of Mr. McGee, who seeks to become Chairman of MediPharm, ever having served on a public company board of directors.
Interlocking relationships among the nominees
There are multiple instances of the Dissident Nominees working together at other companies, serving together on other boards and otherwise having close commercial ties. Such interlocked relationships could lead to groupthink, lack of independent thought, and decisions that may be influenced by factors external to the Company. Examples of interlock include the following:
- Mr. Lewis and Mr. Mallios are both officers of The Aeon Group. In addition, Mr. Lewis is a director of Invent Ventures Inc., a company controlled by Aeon Group, and for which Mr. Mallios serves as CEO.
- Mr. Lontini is Active Chairman, and Mr. Lewis is Chief Financial Officer, of Check-Cap Ltd., a company which has entered a Business Combination Agreement with Nobul AI Inc., a company where Mr. McGee serves as Chairman, CEO and controlling shareholder.
- Mr. Fowler and Mr. Walters previously served together as directors and management of The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc., and continue to collaborate on business interests at companies including Blaise Ventures Inc. and The BIG Concentrates Company.
The Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (“CCGG“) recommends: “that a company’s directors should be independent of each other. To maintain that independence, an issuer should implement a policy limiting interlocking board relationships … CCGG believes that too many interlocking board relationships create interconnected interests that could be harmful to director independence.”
Troublesome track record of the lead dissident
Regan McGee, Apollo’s Chairman and CEO and the lead dissident, has a troublesome track record and a career marked by conflict and controversy. Nobul Technologies Inc. (“Nobul Tech“), a wholly owned Apollo subsidiary where Mr. McGee serves as Chairman and CEO, has been marred by a lawsuit in which it sued several of its former directors and investors who alleged that Nobul Tech was misrepresenting the source of its revenues, and that Mr. McGee was siphoning funds for his personal use. In his dealings with MediPharm, Mr. McGee has engaged in pressure tactics to acquire MediPharm shares improperly, and also threatened and defamed directors of the Company, among other improprieties. The Board is doubtful about Mr. McGee’s appropriateness for a director role at any public company.
As communicated in previous MediPharm news releases, Mr. McGee has offered no alternative vision for the Company, including who he considers fit to manage the Company. The Board understands that Mr. McGee has been communicating with former senior executives of the Company.
Potential conflict of interest
The Dissident Nominee Mr. Fowler serves as president of a company, Muskoka Grown Ltd. and was formerly its CEO. (Mr. Fowler was identified as “president and CEO” of Muskoka Grown in Apollo’s Advance Notice letter sent to the Company on May 1, 2025, but by the time the Dissident Circular was published on May 7, 2025, he no longer held the CEO title.) As disclosed in the Dissident Circular, Muskoka Grown is a supplier of cannabis products to MediPharm and negotiates the commercial terms of such arrangement with the Company. The Board believes it would not be possible for Mr. Fowler to exercise independent judgement on potential transactions relating to the Company that would also benefit him in other ways personally.
Limited career experience and skills
Mr. Lontini landed his first public company director role in January 2024 and added a second director role in December 2024. Prior to these appointments, his experience offers little indication that he would be considered a qualified candidate to be a public company director.
The biography presented to shareholders when he first became a director at Check-Cap Ltd. in January 2024, stated he had “completed M&A transactions” and mentioned “senior leadership positions.” Based on publicly available information, including Mr. Lontini’s LinkedIn profile, it is unclear whether he has ever held an executive role at any operating company outside of those he founded. His profile lists his title as president or owner at three separate entities he founded, including a home renovation business, a soccer consulting agency and a consulting firm established the same month he first became a director.
Lack of diversity
The dissident slate includes no female nominees, contrary to established best practices in corporate governance, including diversity expectations outlined by the Canadian Securities Administrators, proxy advisors and institutional stewardship policies.
MediPharm’s refreshed Board and highly qualified nominees
In contrast to the underqualified Dissident Nominees, MediPharm has proposed seven highly qualified individuals for election to the Board. These nominees include David Pidduck, Chris Halyk, Chris Taves, Shelley Potts, Emily Jameson, John Medland and Keith Strachan.
Ms. Jameson and Mr. Medland are first-time nominees to the MediPharm Board, and if elected, would be fully independent directors with no connections to any existing directors of the Company. In particular, the addition of Ms. Jameson and Mr. Medland reflects the Company’s intent to deepen capital markets expertise and M&A execution capabilities, which are increasingly relevant as MediPharm scales internationally and evaluates strategic growth opportunities.
Details about the Company’s nominees can be found in the Management Information Circular recently sent to shareholders and filed by the Company on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Shareholders are also encouraged to visit www.medipharmlabsagm.com for nominees’ biographies and other up-to-date information on the matters relating to the Annual and Special Meeting.
In light of the Board’s serious concerns about the Dissident Nominees’ qualifications and suitability, shareholders are urged to vote only using the GREEN proxy or GREEN voting instruction form in support of all of the Company’s nominees and resolutions.
Proxy materials are currently being mailed and should arrive in the coming days, no later than next week.
In the meantime, to ensure your vote is counted, shareholders are encouraged to proactively contact their broker to obtain their 16-digit control number associated with the GREEN management proxy. Once received, you can cast your vote by visiting www.medipharmlabsagm.com.
You may receive materials or outreach from the dissident — please disregard any such communications and vote only using the GREEN proxy in support of the Company’s nominees.
About MediPharm Labs
Founded in 2015, MediPharm Labs specializes in the development and manufacture of purified, pharmaceutical-quality cannabis concentrates, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and advanced derivative products utilizing a Good Manufacturing Practices certified facility with ISO standard-built clean rooms. MediPharm Labs has invested in an expert, research driven team, state-of-the-art technology, downstream purification methodologies and purpose-built facilities for delivery of pure, trusted and precision-dosed cannabis products for its customers. MediPharm Labs develops, formulates, processes, packages and distributes cannabis and advanced cannabinoid-based products to domestic and international medical markets.
In 2021, MediPharm Labs received a Pharmaceutical Drug Establishment License from Health Canada, becoming the only company in North America to hold a commercial-scale domestic Good Manufacturing Practices License for the extraction of multiple natural cannabinoids. This GMP license was the first step in the Company’s current foreign drug manufacturing site registration with the US FDA.
In 2023, MediPharm acquired VIVO Cannabis Inc., which expanded MediPharm’s reach to medical patients in Canada via Canna Farms medical ecommerce platform, and in Australia and Germany through Beacon Medical Australia PTY Ltd. and Beacon Medical Germany GMBH. This acquisition also included Harvest Medical Clinics in Canada which provides medical cannabis patients with Physician consultations for medical cannabis education and prescriptions.
The Company carries out its operations in compliance with all applicable laws in the countries in which it operates.
Shareholder Voting Assistance:
If you have any questions or require any assistance in executing your GREEN proxy or voting instruction form, please call Sodali & Co at:
North American Toll-Free Number: 1.888.777.2059
Outside North America, Banks, Brokers and Collect Calls: 1.289.695.3075
Email: assistance@investor.sodali.com
North American Toll-Free Facsimile: 1.877.218.5372
For up-to-date information and assistance in voting please visit: www.medipharmlabsagm.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:
This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things: timing of the Annual and Special Meeting, the Company’s future growth strategies and available M&A opportunities, creation of sustainable long term shareholder value, and the Company’s competitive advantages. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the inability of MediPharm Labs to obtain adequate financing; the delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; and other factors discussed in MediPharm Labs’ continuous disclosure filings, available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, MediPharm Labs assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change.
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SOURCE MediPharm Labs Corp.
