Tag: 3BL

Synergy – our Women’s Employee Resource Group, created the #SheInspires campaign to highlight inspiring women within the firm who embody AB’s values. Their colleagues nominated these women for their ability to inspire and motivate others at AB. As Womens History Month comes to a close, learn more about Synergy’s mission from our Inspirers and Synergy Leadership.

AllianceBernstein

AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management firm that offers high-quality research and diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets. We believe corporate responsibility, responsible investing and stewardship are intertwined. To be effective stewards of our clients’ assets, we strive to invest responsibly—assessing, engaging on and integrating material issues, including environmental, social and governance (ESG), and climate change considerations in most of our actively managed strategies. We also believe that strive to hold ourselves as a firm to similar practices that we ask of issues. Our stewardship practices, investment strategy and decision-making are guided by our purpose, mission and values.

Our purpose—pursue insight that unlocks opportunity—inspires our firm to act responsibly. While opportunity means something different to each of our stakeholders; it always means considering the unique goals of each stakeholder. AB’s mission is to help our clients define and achieve their investment goals, explicitly stating what we do to unlock opportunity for our clients. We became a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2011. This began our journey to formalize our commitment to identify responsible ways to unlock opportunities for our clients through integrating material ESG factors throughout most of our actively managed equity and fixed-income client accounts, funds and strategies. AB also engages issuers where it believes the engagement is in the best financial interest of its clients.

Because we are an active manager, our differentiated insights drive our ability to deliver alpha and design innovative investment solutions. ESG and climate issues are important elements in forming insights and in presenting potential risks and opportunities that can have an effect on the performance of the companies and issuers that we invest in and the portfolios that we build.

Our values provide a framework for the behaviors and actions that deliver on our purpose and mission. Values align our actions. Each value emerges from the firm’s collective character—yet is also aspirational.

Invest in One Another means that we have a strong organizational culture where diversity is celebrated and mentorship is critical to our success. When we invest in one another, we empower our employees to reach their potential, so that they can help our clients realize theirs. This enables us to partner with clients to design and deliver improved investment outcomes.Strive for Distinctive Knowledge means that we collaboratively identify creative solutions to clients’ economic, ESG and climate- related investment challenges through our expertise in a wide range of investment disciplines, close collaboration among our investment experts and creative solutions.Speak with Courage and Conviction informs how we engage our AB colleagues and issuers. We seek to learn from other parts of our business to strengthen our own views. And we engage issuers for insight and action by sharing ideas and best practices.Act with Integrity—Always is the bedrock of our relationships and has specific meaning for our business. Unlike many other asset managers, we’re singularly focused on providing asset management and research to our clients. We don’t engage in activities that could be distracting, or create conflicts—such as investment banking, insurance writing, commercial banking or proprietary trading for our own account. We are unconflicted and fully accountable.

As of September 30, 2023, AB had $669B in assets under management, $458B of which were ESG-integrated. Additional information about AB may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

Cummins

LEXINGTON, Ky. /3BL/ – Valvoline Global, a worldwide leader in automotive and industrial solutions, and Cummins Inc., a global power leader, announced a major milestone of their longstanding partnership.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of a comprehensive partnership for the world-class brands.

Like all good collaborations, it continues to move both companies forward.

Since 1994, the teams at Valvoline Global and Cummins have worked together in the field and in labs to develop products that complement each other. Working as a single team to deliver the best customer value, Cummins designs and builds cutting-edge engines, generators and power systems, and Valvoline Global creates innovative lubricants and fluid solutions alongside them. Customers benefit from that teamwork and have the peace of mind knowing they have two premium products that were designed to bring out the best in one another.

“Our partnership with Cummins is one that we are really proud of. At Valvoline Global, we’ll continue innovating, whether its diesel, natural gas, hydrogen, alternative fuels, fuel cells and future technologies,” said Jamal Muashsher, CEO, Valvoline Global. “Whenever Cummins creates a product, Valvoline will make sure there are lubricants, fluids and sustainable solutions that complement it.”

“Customers can run equipment with maximum efficiency and reliability, perform fewer oil changes over the life of the equipment, resulting in cost savings,” said Tony Satterthwaite, Senior Vice President, Cummins Inc. “And fleet managers could also see reduced cost of ownership due to product consolidation, increased working capital and reduced risk of incorrect oil-to-engine usage.”

Recently, trade publication Heavy Duty Trucking named Premium Blue One Solution™ Gen2 as one of its top innovative products. The industry-first fuel agnostic technology is approved for use in multiple heavy-duty, medium-duty and light-duty engine types, providing extended drain intervals for both diesel and natural gas engine platforms.

Satterthwaite added, “We have an extended partnership in the form of joint ventures to sell and market our products together in emerging markets, delivering fantastic results while supporting customers. Our Cummins-Valvoline joint venture in India just celebrated their own 25th Anniversary in 2023.”

With a steadfast commitment to excellence and a vision for continued growth, Valvoline Global and Cummins are poised to make an even greater impact on global communities, including automotive and industrial sectors in the years ahead.

About Cummins Inc.

Cummins Inc., a global power solutions leader, is comprised of five business segments – Components, Engine, Distribution, Power Systems and Accelera by Cummins – supported by our global manufacturing and extensive service and support network, skilled workforce and vast technological expertise. Cummins is committed to its Destination Zero strategy, which is grounded in the company’s commitment to sustainability and helping its customers successfully navigate the energy transition with its broad portfolio of products. The products range from advanced diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains and powertrain-related components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, valvetrain technologies, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, axles, drivelines, brakes, suspension systems, electric power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen production technologies and fuel cell products. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, Cummins employs approximately 75,500 people committed to powering a more prosperous world through three global corporate responsibility priorities critical to healthy communities: education, environment and equality of opportunity. Cummins serves its customers online, through a network of company-owned and independent distributor locations, and through thousands of dealer locations worldwide and earned about $735 million on sales of $34.1 billion in 2023. See how Cummins is powering a world that’s always on by accessing news releases and more information at https://www.cummins.com/.

About Valvoline™ Global Operations

Valvoline Global is a worldwide leader in automotive and industrial solutions, creating future-ready products and best-in-class services for partners around the globe. Established in 1866, the company introduced the world’s first branded motor oil and developed strong brand recognition and customer satisfaction ratings across multiple product channels. With sales in more than 140 countries and territories, Valvoline Global’s solutions are available for every engine and drivetrain, including high-mileage and heavy-duty vehicles, offered at more than 80,000 locations. Valvoline Global is powering the future of mobility through innovative solutions for vehicles with electric, hybrid and internal combustion powertrains – and the company will continue to solve for global automotive and industrial challenges as it moves forward. To learn more, visit ValvolineGlobal.com.

™ Trademark, Valvoline Global or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries.

Media Contact

Jon Mills 
Director – External Communications 
(317) 658-4540 jon.mills@cummins.com

Abby Malik 
Valvoline™ Global Operations Contact 
+1-606-923-8864 abby.malik@valvoline.com

MAYS LANDING, N.J., May 7, 2024 /3BL/ – Volunteers from Atlantic City Electric, KABOOM!, Gateway Community Action Partnership, the Borough of Paulsboro and community members came together to bring a children-designed and community-built playground to life at the West Buck Street Park in Paulsboro, N.J. Hundreds of local volunteers came together on April 10 for this one-day, community-driven playground build. This project represents progress in ensuring every child has a place to play, providing a state-of-the-art playground for children to enjoy each year.

“I am truly proud to work for a company that focuses so much on our communities where we not only serve, but where many of us live and work,” said Doug Mokoid, Region President, Atlantic City Electric. “The work we do day in and day out is important, but we must also remember that helping our communities grow and flourish is also vital. Seeing our employees come together outside of their daily work, side-by-side with the community, is a prime example of the company’s core principles- putting to action that we are more than energy.”

More than 100 volunteers from Atlantic City Electric, which included members from IBEW Local 210, took part in the day-long build, which brought to life the design concepts inspired by local children. The “Design Day” held in January 2024 kicked off the planning process and brought community members together to intricately compose their designs into what is now seen today at West Buck Street Park.

“The West Buck Street Playground has always been an integral part of the immediate neighborhood it serves and to the residents of Paulsboro,” said Borough of Paulsboro Mayor John Giovannitti. “The Borough of Paulsboro is excited to partner with KABOOM!, Gateway CAP and Atlantic City Electric to create, design and build a ‘new’ West Buck Street Playground. We believe this will help unite our community and create a fun and safe place for our families to meet and play.”

The project is part of a nationwide effort led by KABOOM! to end playspace inequity – the reality that far too many children – especially children of color – do not get the chance to play on a playground, something that should be part of every child’s life. Their work is to ensure every child can experience the numerous physical, social and mental health benefits of play regardless of background or where they live.

“Playgrounds are an iconic part of childhood where kids collect some of their best memories and experience the countless physical and mental health benefits of play,” said Lysa Ratliff, Chief Executive Officer of KABOOM!. “KABOOM! is thrilled to work with Atlantic City Electric, Gateway Community Action Partnership, and the Borough of Paulsboro to build the new playspace on West Buck Street and ensure that generations of kids can grow up happy and healthy through access to playspaces where they feel they are valued and belong.”

This playground build is also the starting point of a longer-term revitalization plan for the Paulsboro community. It is a launching pad to Gateway Community Action Partnership’s initiative through the Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Grant, which they received in December 2023. It focuses on community-driven projects, like the playground build, to support comprehensive equity focused community development plans.

“This represents more than just an investment in swings and slides; it symbolizes a dedication to the well-being, joy and unity of our local community. It reflects our profound commitment to fostering secure, welcoming and interactive spaces that support the growth of our children, strengthen family bonds and promote neighborly connections,” said Edward Bethea, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Gateway Community Action Partnership. “We must also emphasize that this new playground will act as a key catalyst for the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative process in the Paulsboro area.”

Atlantic City Electric is committed to ensuring the communities it serves and where its employees live and work, thrive. Events like this further strengthen the company’s commitment to powering a cleaner and brighter future for its customers and communities.

About KABOOM! 
KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids and communities to build or improve 17,000+ playspaces and ensure that nearly 12 million kids have equitable access to the crucial benefits and opportunities that playspaces offer. In 2022, KABOOM! launched the 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity to accelerate its mission in 25 high-priority locations over five years. Learn more at kaboom.org or join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About Gateway Community Action Partnership 
Gateway Community Action Partnership is the designated Community Action Program (CAP) for Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties in Southern New Jersey and also provides services in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May and Mercer counties, as well as Philadelphia. As a CAP, Gateway Community Action Partnership helps low- and moderate-income residents identify and overcome barriers to self-sufficiency. The agency’s more than 650 employees form a network of professional teachers, social workers, counselors, nutritionists and program planners, all dedicated to making our communities better places to live and work for all residents. Gateway CAP is a private, non-profit, community-based organization with a federal 501-C-3 designation by the IRS.

About the Borough of Paulsboro 
Paulsboro Borough is robust diverse municipality located in Southern New Jersey. Founded the 17th. Century and incorporated as” Paulsboro” in 1904, it is the home to Fort Billingsport, the first land purchase made by the United States, acquired on July 5, 1776, the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

To learn more about Atlantic City Electric, visit The Source, Atlantic City Electric’s online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting atlanticcityelectric.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AtlanticCityElectric, and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/AcEleCconnect. Atlantic City Electric’s mobile app is available at atlanticcityelectric.com/MobileApp.

View original content here.

TEMPE, Ariz., May 6, 2024 /3BL/ – For individuals seeking to start a business, imposter syndrome and other confidence-sapping pitfalls can be important contributors to success or failure, according to findings in The Ultimate Guide to the Entrepreneurial Mindset, an informational resource published today by GoDaddy.

The findings in the guide follow a recent survey of 1,000 aspiring business owners who have yet to launch a successful venture. It also includes original material researched and written by self-employed contributors, as well as real-life stories from established entrepreneurs who confronted and overcame challenges identified in the Guide. This resource covers:

Building confidenceDeveloping resilience and perseveranceMastering time managementCultivating a growth mindsetProgress over perfectionismBuilding a support networkMaintaining motivation and focus

For example, individuals who have yet to launch their venture – because they can’t shift focus from the granular details to the bigger picture – might benefit from the section on progress over perfectionism.

Publication of the Guide comes alongside the recent release of GoDaddy Airo™, an AI-powered experience that helps entrepreneurs take an idea and transform it into a business – complete with a name, logo, web presence and much more in mere minutes.

With GoDaddy Airo™ addressing many of the technical challenges associated with launching a successful business, The Ultimate Guide to the Entrepreneurial Mindset intends to help aspiring business owners overcome fears and any remaining non-technical challenges.

About GoDaddy 
GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and accept payments online and in person. GoDaddy’s easy-to-use tools help microbusiness owners manage everything in one place, and its expert guides are available to provide assistance 24/7. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

SEATTLE, May 6, 2024 /3BL/ – Expedia Group today released its 2023 Global Impact Report highlighting actions taken and progress made in pursuit of the company’s environmental, social and governance targets and commitments. Formally launched in 2022, Expedia Group’s Open World™ social impact and sustainability framework has since come to life through programs and partnerships focused on driving impact, with the mission of powering more responsible and sustainable travel for everyone, everywhere.

“Expedia Group continues to focus on making a positive impact across the travel industry, concentrating on the connection between our employees, partners, travelers and communities,” said Peter Kern, vice chairman and CEO, Expedia Group. “We have expanded our environmental and community initiatives through the launch of programs like the Made to Travel™ Fund, which awards grants to nonprofits that share our goal of removing barriers to travel. Holding ourselves accountable, this report highlights our actions, progress, ongoing commitment, and vision for the future of travel.”

Key highlights from 2023 include:

Environment 
Expedia Group published its inaugural Climate Action Plan and shared a commitment to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040, aiming to reduce Scope 1, Scope 2 and upstream Scope 3 GHG emissions by at least 90% by 2040.

Interim targets:

Reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions 75% by 2030.Continue to source 100% renewable electricity annually through 2030.Engage our value chain to ensure 75% of our suppliers by emissions set science-based targets by 2028.

Next steps include developing a Net Zero roadmap which outlines the path to achieving these commitments. Additionally, in an effort to help travelers understand and book more eco-friendly properties, Expedia Group has added industry-aligned attributes to its travel sites that help supply partners demonstrate their sustainability credentials. This allows travelers the ability to filter for hotels that have received third-party eco-certifications.

Social Impact 
Expedia Group launched two initiatives focused on making travel more open, inclusive and accessible — the Open World Accelerator supporting small and midsized businesses that power travel, and the Made to Travel™ Fund, which provides funding to nonprofits around the world.

Additionally, the company and its employees continued its effort to help better its communities and their wellbeing and resiliency as:

$8.7 million in funding was provided to partners, and 60 nonprofits received grants to support their workExpedians collectively volunteered more than 34,000 hours and supported more than 2,000 non-profit causesMore than $1.5 million in grants awarded through the Made to Travel™ Fund in 2022 and 2023 to open access for underserved or underrepresented travelers to life-changing travel experiences

Inclusion and Diversity 
Expedia Group made significant progress toward its global gender representation goal and exceeded its hiring ambitions in the U.S. for candidates from underrepresented identities (URI*).

The year marked the company’s highest increases in hiring including:

4% increase for women year-over-year8% increase for URI candidates year-over-year48% of employees globally are women, with women representation at the leadership level reaching 40%31% of U.S. hires were from underrepresented identities

Expedia Group also took an important step toward closing the gender pay gap by conducting its first all-company pay assessment across roles, demographics and locations. The company developed action plans focused on correcting disparities by making salary adjustments for all genders globally. After adjusting, women at Expedia Group earn USD $1 for every USD $1 earned by men, on a global basis for comparable jobs.

(*URI refers to Black, Latino/a/x, Indigenous and Multiracial identities)

The 2023 Global Impact report was prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards, and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). For more information on Expedia Group’s Open World™ social impact & sustainability framework, visit www.expediagroup.com.

About Expedia Group 
Expedia Group, Inc. brands power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Our organization is made up of three pillars: Expedia Brands, housing all our consumer brands; Expedia Product & Technology, focused on the group’s product and technical strategy and offerings; and Expedia for Business, consisting of business-to-business solutions and relationships throughout the travel ecosystem.

Expedia Group’s three flagship consumer brands include: Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo®. One Key™ is our comprehensive loyalty program that unifies Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo into one simple, flexible travel rewards experience. To enroll in One Key, download Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo mobile apps for free on iOS and Android devices. One Key is currently available in the U.S. and will become available globally soon.

SOURCE Expedia Group

NEW ORLEANS, May 6, 2024 /3BL/ – Entergy is supporting customer growth, expectations for cleaner energy, growing reliability and resilience needs, while balancing affordability for its customers, said Chair and Chief Executive Officer Drew Marsh, during the company’s 75th annual meeting of shareholders today.

“As we look ahead, we see unprecedented growth potential for our company and our region stemming from a number of factors, including strong industrial sales,” said Marsh. “This growth has been driven by industrial manufacturing investments along the Gulf Coast area, which has advantages unmatched anywhere else that are driving investment to our region.”

Regarding Entergy’s customers’ desire to achieve their own carbon reduction goals, Marsh added that the company is “focused on capturing that tremendous growth opportunity for the benefit of all our customers. We’re meeting our customers’ growing reliability and resilience needs, all while balancing bill affordability for our customers. Together, we’re writing a growth story for the Entergy of tomorrow.”

To meet our customers’ expectations, Entergy has built its capital plan across generation, transmission and distribution investments.

Entergy is focused on initiatives to improve outcomes for all stakeholders, including the completion of major rate filings and decisions, operational investments, and continued progress on several key customer solutions like green tariffs, renewable energy and other carbon-free energy projects.

Marsh cited several achievements for the business in 2023:

“Entergy’s generation fleet had an outstanding year while maintaining a focus on safety. Even with challenges from record-breaking heat last summer, we achieved our best forced outage rate since 2011. Not only did we meet our customers’ demands, we also exported power to other utilities during the moments that mattered.”“2023 was a strong year for customer growth. We signed 61 new electric service agreements, representing more than 1.3 gigawatts of generation capacity. And, driven by customer interest, we continued to invest in renewable energy and other clean technology solutions. We now have more than 900 megawatts in service and approximately 2,100 megawatts of renewable energy projects are approved or under construction.”“Entergy Mississippi will soon provide power to support the single largest capital investment in the state of Mississippi’s history. A $10 billion planned investment by Amazon Web Services, or AWS, which received supportive legislation finalized by Mississippi lawmakers earlier this year, will bring new jobs and economic development opportunities to the state.”“Our customers are very interested in resilience investment, and our stakeholder engagement focus on resilience in 2023 has led to important milestones in early 2024. Those include approval by the New Orleans City Council to invest in important hardening, battery and microgrid investments in New Orleans East with the support of approximately $55 million of grants through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In addition, the Louisiana Public Service Commission recently approved $1.9 billion of investment over the next five years to support roughly 2,100 individual resilience projects across the state. These are the first critical steps to improve our network to meet changing customer expectations for reliability and resilience in an information economy and an increasingly hostile weather environment.”“We again delivered steady and predictable growth last year, with adjusted earnings per share once again exceeding our original expectations. We also grew our quarterly dividend per share by approximately 6% and, importantly, we met our credit metric targets.”

Read about our growth opportunities ahead and view additional milestones from last year in our 2023 Performance Report.

Other business

Additional business conducted during today’s shareholder meeting:

Entergy shareholders elected all 11 nominees to the company’s board of directors.Two management proposals related to the appointment of the company’s independent public accountants and executive compensation were voted on and approved by shareholders.Marsh responded to several shareholder questions on a range of topics, including the company’s progress on grid resilience efforts and artificial intelligence.

A replay of the meeting and responses to questions will be published on Entergy’s Investor Relations website next week.

About Entergy

Entergy (NYSE: ETR) is a Fortune 500 company that powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and connect with @Entergy on social media. #WePowerLife

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

In this news release, and from time to time, Entergy Corporation makes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding Entergy’s current financial and operational outlooks; industrial load growth outlooks; statements regarding its resilience plans, goals, beliefs, or expectations; and other statements of Entergy’s plans, beliefs, or expectations included in this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, Entergy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements, including (a) those factors discussed elsewhere in this news release and in Entergy’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Entergy’s other reports and filings made under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; (b) uncertainties associated with (1) rate proceedings, formula rate plans, and other cost recovery mechanisms, including the risk that costs may not be recoverable to the extent or on the timeline anticipated by the utilities and (2) implementation of the ratemaking effects of changes in law; (c) uncertainties associated with (1) realizing the benefits of its resilience plan, including impacts of the frequency and intensity of future storms and storm paths, as well as the pace of project completion and (2) efforts to remediate the effects of major storms and recover related restoration costs; (d) risks associated with operating nuclear facilities, including plant relicensing, operating, and regulatory costs and risks; (e) changes in decommissioning trust fund values or earnings or in the timing or cost of decommissioning Entergy’s nuclear plant sites; (f) legislative and regulatory actions and risks and uncertainties associated with claims or litigation by or against Entergy and its subsidiaries; (g) risks and uncertainties associated with executing on business strategies, including strategic transactions that Entergy or its subsidiaries may undertake and the risk that any such transaction may not be completed as and when expected and the risk that the anticipated benefits of the transaction may not be realized; (h) direct and indirect impacts to Entergy or its customers from pandemics, terrorist attacks, geopolitical conflicts, cybersecurity threats, data security breaches, or other attempts to disrupt Entergy’s business or operations, and/or other catastrophic events; and (i) effects on Entergy or its customers of (1) changes in federal, state, or local laws and regulations and other governmental actions or policies, including changes in monetary, fiscal, tax, environmental, or energy policies; (2) the effects of changes in commodity markets, capital markets, or economic conditions; and (3) the effects of technological change, including the costs, pace of development, and commercialization of new and emerging technologies.

CLEVELAND, May 6, 2024 /3BL/ – Fifth Third recognizes the burden that the cost of education can put on parents – whether it is a college program, vocational or trade school – and has once again provided a savings boost for future education. Parents in Northeast Ohio who had babies born on “Fifth Third Day” (5/3 on the calendar) received a gift of $1,053 to be put toward a 529 savings account.

“It was an exciting day to welcome newborns and provide their families with an opportunity to impact their child’s future,” said Tom Partridge, Fifth Third’s Northern Ohio regional president. “We know these contributions will make a big difference and give them a head start on saving.”

Partridge and Northeast Ohio native and TNT Sports sideline reporter Allie LaForce greeted the new moms and dads and presented the college savings gift, along with a care package that includes gift cards, a onesie, beanie and bib.

“Fifth Third Day is a special day. It’s my birthday and now my child’s birthday, too,” said a new father, Rob, whose baby was born at MetroHealth in Cleveland, Ohio. “Receiving this gift is a great start for the future.”

Fifth Third partnered with 22 hospitals across Northeast Ohio and Tampa to present the 529 plan gifts to parents. Participating birthing centers include University Hospitals (UH) MacDonald Women’s Hospital and UH Ahuja, Geauga, TriPoint and St. John medical centers; Aultman Birth Center, Mercy Health – Lorain Hospital Veard Family Birthing Center, MetroHealth, Southwest General, and Summa Health. Fifth Third also provided goodie bags to the nurses at these hospitals to show appreciation for all they do for the moms and babies.

Since Fifth Third Day in 2017, the Bank has gifted more than 600 babies with $1,053 to go toward any 529 college savings account, in partnership with the Gift of College.

The average total cost for a year of college at a four-year school — including tuition and fees, on-campus room and board, books, supplies, and other expenses — is more than $36,436; or roughly $146,000 over the course of four years1. And the cost of trade school can be up to $22,000 annually.2

Three tips for getting started with a college savings account

Patricia Roberts is the chief operating officer of Gift of College and author of Route 529: A Parent’s Guide to Saving for College and Career Training with 529 Plans.

When it comes to starting a savings account for your child, Roberts offers the following tips to new parents:

Explore your state’s 529 plan options and open an account as soon as possible.Set up automatic contributions from your paycheck or bank account.Invite friends and family to contribute for birthdays, holidays and other special occasions.

Sweepstakes for all

You don’t have to be born on 5/3 to start saving for a sunny future! Fifth Third is extending its Fifth Third Babies gift of $1,053 to go toward a 529 college savings plan to all communities with the Fifth Third Babies Sweepstakes3. Parents can enter to win $1,053 by following Fifth Third Bank and commenting on a sweepstakes post on Facebook and Instagram between May 13 and 29. Five winners will receive a head start on their college savings fund.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association, is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com.

1According to BestColleges.com, based on 2021-2022 data. 
2According to BestColleges.com 2023 data. 
3NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be at least 18 years old to enter. Sweepstakes only open to residents of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes begins May 13, 2024, and ends 11:59 PM ET May 29, 2024. For complete sweepstakes rules please see a Fifth Third Bank representative or visit 53.com/babies.

Southwire is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2024 US Best Managed Company for the fifth year in a row. The company has also been recognized as a Gold Standard Winner, which honors organizations that have been recognized for four or more years.

Now in its fifth year, the award, sponsored by Deloitte* Private and The Wall Street Journal, recognizes the achievements of U.S. private companies and the successes of their management teams.

“At Southwire, we’re committed to being an employer of choice and creating value in all that we do,” said Fernando Esquivel, Southwire’s executive vice president and chief People & Culture officer. “Being named as a US Best Managed Company for the fifth year in a row is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team members – The People Behind the Power™ – and our four key values of empowerment, trust, consistency and inclusion.”

US Best Managed Companies is part of a global Deloitte Private program. Honorees are selected by an external panel of judges who evaluate applicants based on strategy, ability to execute, culture and governance and financial performance. They join an ecosystem of organizations from more than 44 countries.

“Across the organization, we unite in a high-performing, inclusive culture that empowers us to deliver sustainable solutions and drive continuous improvement for our future,” said Chris Grant, Southwire’s chief Strategy officer. “We continue to be guided by strict ethical standards, environmental stewardship and a focus on Giving Back to the local community, and these commitments, along with our strategic growth, have undoubtedly brought us to where we are today and contributed to this tremendous honor.”

For more Southwire news, visit www.southwire.com/newsroom.

From its starting point in the Columbia Icefield, the glacial waters of the North Saskatchewan River travel 1,300 kilometers through mountain and valley, town and country.

On its easterly journey from Alberta to Manitoba, where it eventually empties into Lake Winnipeg, the river spans a drainage area of 122,800 square kilometers.

As the water rolls on, various activities on the landscape add pressure to the river and its watershed. This human footprint increases as the river travels from the headwaters to the east, with the combined impacts of forestry, agriculture, energy and urban development reducing water quality, and adding excess nutrients and contaminants.

When it flows through agricultural land, runoff from fertilizers enters the streams. When new developments are constructed, drainage areas are damaged. Habitat is lost. Wildlife numbers dwindle. Blue-green algae blooms damage lakes.

Youth in the North Saskatchewan River’s watershed are paying attention to these issues, says Jillian Peterson, a watershed planning technician with the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA), based in Edmonton.

“They are passionate about learning about the watershed—the importance of preserving it and conserving not only the water, but also the land, for future generations,” she explains.

NSWA provides leadership in watershed management and planning. The non-profit is well known in the region for its collaborative work with organizations and stakeholders committed to solving watershed challenges. The interest of local youth in having a voice in discussions about watershed conservation prompted NSWA to launch a new initiative in 2024—a Youth Water Council.

With the support of a $20,000 Fueling Futures grant from Enbridge, NSWA established the first youth council, designed to give members educational opportunities about conservation as well as a platform to protect the watershed.

Every year on April 22, the world marks Earth Day, an annual celebration of environmental protection around the globe. At Enbridge, sustainability is central to everything we do, and we also support community sustainability projects that help improve, grow and nurture our environment.

Education is a key component of the youth council. The nine students selected for the inaugural group were recruited from an open call for 15-to-17-year-olds in the region. Peterson says they chose youth with “a passion for the environmental issues watersheds face.”

The council meets in person for a one-weekend retreat and online for a series of virtual learning sessions led by NSWA team members and guest speakers, such as scientists, hydrologists and conservationists. They cover watershed management, stewardship, conservation, restoration, wetland health, water quality and climate change impacts.

Through the guest speakers, the teens are introduced to career pathways. Already, two council members have chosen to enroll in environmental studies programs when they begin post-secondary studies in the fall, Peterson notes.

As part of the council, the members will produce a signature project they can proudly share with the community. They’ve chosen a comic book containing information about watershed issues and what people can do about them.

The product will include information and artwork focused on responsible recreation, riparian health, and watershed stewardship. The comic book will be available online, and distributed in print through local bookstores and at NSWA events.

“It’s really exciting to see how quickly they’ve absorbed the information they’ve learned,” Peterson says.

“To (the youth), success is educating people on why it’s important to preserve our watersheds,” she adds. “They want to help people become responsible citizens—for the sake of our water’s future.”

SECAUCUS, N.J. and BOSTON, May 6, 2024 /3BL/ – Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), a leader in diagnostic information services, and PathAI, a global provider of artificial intelligence-powered technology for pathology, announced a multi-faceted collaboration designed to accelerate the adoption of digital and AI pathology innovations to improve quality, speed and efficiency in diagnosing cancer and other diseases.

Under the terms of a definitive agreement, Quest will acquire select assets of PathAI Diagnostics, the business of PathAI that provides anatomic and digital pathology laboratory services. At closing, PathAI Diagnostics’ state-of-the-art digitized laboratory in Memphis, Tennessee will become Quest’s AI and digital R&D and solutions center, supporting Quest’s specialty pathology businesses, AmeriPath and Dermpath Diagnostics. PathAI will continue to support its biopharmaceutical clients with end-to-end clinical trial services capabilities at its biopharma lab, which is separate and distinct from the diagnostic laboratory business. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2024.

Under separate agreements, Quest will license PathAI’s AISight™ digital pathology image management system to support its pathology laboratories and customer sites in the United States. The two entities may also pursue opportunities for Quest to aid PathAI’s algorithm product development, drawing on Quest’s deep pathology leadership. In addition, Quest will be a preferred provider for PathAI’s biopharmaceutical clinical laboratory services.

“This transaction will enable Quest to dramatically ramp our capabilities in AI and digital pathology, building on our leadership in oncology and subspecialized pathology services,” said Kristie Dolan, Senior Vice President, Oncology, Quest Diagnostics. “AI and digital technologies have tremendous potential to improve cancer care, and Quest has the know-how to scale and deliver innovations that are high quality, efficient and broadly accessible. PathAI has industry-leading expertise in AI pathology innovation, and their state-of-the-art digitized laboratory in Memphis provides a platform for future growth.”

“At Quest Diagnostics, we are committed to maximizing patient impact from every precious sample,” said Mark Gardner, Senior Vice President, Molecular Genomics and Oncology, Quest Diagnostics. “The relationship with PathAI and acquisition of PathAI Diagnostics will enable us to rapidly accelerate the adoption of digitization and artificial intelligence for our market leading pathology offering, and will therefore strengthen our capability to serve patients across the entire continuum of oncology care, from diagnosis, to prognosis, to therapy selection and patient monitoring.”

“This strategic relationship represents a significant milestone for the anatomic pathology industry and marks a major turning point for digital pathology adoption in the U.S. The adoption of these technologies by an organization with the scale and breadth of capabilities of Quest is a clear demonstration of how PathAI’s cutting-edge solutions can help address the market’s need for more efficient and high-quality pathology operations,” said Andy Beck, MD PhD, co-Founder and CEO of PathAI. “The PathAI Diagnostics laboratory in Memphis will allow Quest to accelerate its digital journey with an already digitized laboratory.”

According to the American Cancer Society, 2024 will be the first year that the United States expects more than 2 million new cases of cancer. The global cancer burden is expected to reach 28.4 million cases in 2040, compared to 19.3 million in 2020, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The next phase in cancer innovation unlocked by digital pathology

Cancer and other diseases are often diagnosed by a pathologist based on a visual review of a biopsied tissue mounted on a glass slide, and reviewed under a microscope for abnormalities. If multiple pathologists need to view the slide, such as for a second opinion, the tissue biopsy must be physically couriered to another pathologist.

Digital pathology enables the creation of digital images of glass slides that can be securely shared electronically with other pathologists to view, reducing transportation needs and speeding testing and results reporting. It also has the advantage of extending access to expert consults to geographic areas where pathologists are in short supply, such as in parts of rural America and internationally. It may also help alleviate workforce pressures due to a shortage of pathologists and histotechnologists, the skilled laboratory professionals who prepare tissue slides.

“Digital pathology will strengthen our ability to offer flexible solutions that fulfill the needs of today’s hospital laboratories. For instance, many hospital labs are facing a shortage of histotechs. With digital pathology, these labs can refer slide preparation to us while continuing to perform professional interpretation in-house,” Ms. Dolan added. “Digital pathology will also allow us to extend the interpretative expertise of our roughly 400 pathologists to hospitals and other labs who lack these skilled professionals on-staff, regardless of location.”

AI builds upon digital pathology by identifying patterns in a digitized image that suggest cancer or other diseases, helping a pathologist concentrate on areas of concern for potentially more accurate diagnosis.

Quest has a long history of strategic AI and automation deployment. The company has implemented AI, digital and automation technologies across several laboratory and business functions, from microbiology and cytogenetics to specimen processing and customer service, improving quality, efficiency and customer and employee experiences.

The transaction also builds on Quest’s deep expertise and scale in cancer, with approximately 400 pathologists serving top health systems in the U.S. In recent years, Quest has piloted digital and AI pathology oncology solutions at Quest and AmeriPath sites in Clifton, NJ, Tampa and Denver.

Over time, Quest expects the transaction with PathAI will enable it to deploy flexible digital slide preparation and diagnostic and second opinion consultation services to health systems and other providers, both in the United States and, through its Global Diagnostic Network, overseas. The acquisition will also extend Quest’s anatomic pathology services into comparatively more profitable areas, including dermatopathology as well as gastrointestinal and urological diseases. Provider customers of PathAI Diagnostics will benefit from access to Quest’s industry-leading clinical test menu, broad health plan relationships and approximately 2,000 patient service centers in the U.S.

About Quest Diagnostics 
Quest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to create a healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic insights from the results of our laboratory testing to empower people, physicians and organizations to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from one of the world’s largest databases of deidentified clinical lab results, Quest’s diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives and create a healthier world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

About PathAI 
PathAI is dedicated to improving patient outcomes through its groundbreaking AI-powered pathology platform. Our solutions provide invaluable insights for biopharmaceutical companies, researchers, and pathology laboratories, ultimately enabling precision pathology and the vision of more effective diagnosis and treatments. Learn more at www.pathai.com.

SOURCE Quest Diagnostics

VIEW ALL NEWS