McDonald’s Raises $100,000 for 100 Clubs of Texas

July 10, 2018

South Central Texas McDonald's owners and operators raise $100,000 in donations for area 100 Clubs of Texas (PRNewsFoto/McDonald’s USA)

SAN ANTONIO, July 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — McDonald’s owners and operators in South Central Texas are pleased to announce they have raised more than $100,000 in donations for the local chapters of the 100 Clubs of Texas to assist families of first responders killed or critically injured in the line of duty.

The fundraiser took place this past Good Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., where 20 percent of lunchtime sales from all participating McDonald’s in South Central Texas were donated to participating 100 Clubs. Local owners were so overwhelmed with the public’s generosity, they came together and added an additional contribution to reach the $100,000 figure.

“McDonald’s in South Central Texas is a longtime, proud supporter of local 100 Clubs and greatly appreciates what they do for the families of fallen and critically injured first responders, the true heroes,” said Ned Stagg, McDonald’s owner/operator and founder of the Good Friday Fundraiser.

Dan Kinney, another owner/operator, added, “It was not a difficult decision for the owners to step up, match the support and kindness of so many in our community, and help in such a worthwhile cause.”

The Good Friday Fundraiser was established in 2001 to financially assist 100 Clubs in South Central Texas and support their mission of providing financial assistance to the families of first responders.

About McDonald’s USA
McDonald’s USA, LLC serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 25 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. Customers can now log online for free at approximately 11,500 participating Wi‐Fi enabled McDonald’s U.S. restaurants. For more information, please visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.

Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/714227/McDonald_s__100K_Donation_to_100_Clubs_of_Texas.jpg

SOURCE McDonald’s USA

Visa launches Visa Loyalty Solutions, the first 100% digital loyalty platform in Latin America and the Caribbean

July 10, 2018

MIAMI, July 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Visa (NYSE:V) today announced the launch of Visa Loyalty Solutions (VLS), an omnichannel digital points redemption platform available to all issuing banks in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and offering consumers more than a quarter of a million redemption options. Visa Loyalty Solutions was co-created by Visa LAC in collaboration with global FinTech and InsurTech company novae.

This white-label solution, developed for Visa’s bank partners, enables issuing member banks of any size to offer top-of-the-line rewards and customer care programs they can adapt to their loyalty strategies and brand as their own. Visa Loyalty Solutions features a user-friendly mobile app and web portal, as well as chat and voice, to make points redemption and customer service faster and easier for cardholders and financial institutions around the region.

“Visa Loyalty Solutions offers a seamless and flexible digital experience that adds value for consumers, participating businesses and issuers, and can be easily adapted to each of our bank partners’ loyalty strategies,” said Ricardo Tafur, Vice President of Consumer Products for Visa Latin America and the Caribbean. “We are committed to innovate in order to provide the best consumer experience,” he added.

This new digital platform offers cardholders the option to redeem points and get preferential deals at more than 285,000 hotels, hundreds of airlines and a wide network of car rental companies–not to mention tours, amusement parks and other entertainment options–around the world.

“At novae we want to bring our partners disruptive technologies that are user-friendly, efficient and reliable. That’s why we’re so excited to be co-creating platforms and applications with Visa to create nimbler, simpler and smarter experiences for merchants and consumers,” said Sergio Arana, novae’s CEO and founder.

The platform’s innovative and flexible redemption process allows cardholders to either use their points or combine them with their cards to complete their purchases. Amounts are displayed in U.S. dollars as well as points to give cardholders a better idea of the real value of their purchases. Online and mobile customer service centers provide assistance and information via voice, live chat and video.

To experience the new Visa Loyalty Solutions, click here.

About Visa
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the leading digital payment company. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network that empowers people, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network is capable to handle more than 65,000 transaction messages per second. The company’s continuous focus on innovation is a catalyst for rapid business growth, connected through any device, as well as the engine behind a cash-free future for everyone, everywhere. While the world moves from analog to digital, Visa applies its brand, products, team, network and scale to the task of shaping the new future of commerce. For more detailed information, please visit usa.visa.com/aboutvisa, visacorporate.tumblr.com and @VisaNews. For news in Latin America, please visit @VisaNewsLatam.

About novae
novae leverages disruptive technologies to make mobile transactions, communications and other business-consumer interactions faster, easier and more enjoyable on any platform. Headquartered in San Francisco and with a business and innovation hub in Miami, an InsurTech hub in London and shared service centers in Buenos Aires and Bogotá, novae has clients across the Americas and Europe. novae is part of a&a Co, a global equity investment company based in San Francisco and focused on creating, acquiring and investing in ventures in the artificial intelligence (AI), mobile services and payments/loyalty realms. novae’s strategic partners include Visa, CyberSource, BPP, Expedia and Canopius Syndicate at Lloyd’s. Investors in novae include the private debt and equity capital funds CASEIF III LP and ExWorks Capital LLC. For more information, visit wearenovae.com (mobile-only experience) or Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contacts:

Visa	novae
Catalina Bantula Camps	Theresa Rice
[email protected]	[email protected]
786.502.7305	786.514.4733

Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/716278/Mobile_Platform.jpg
Logo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/716279/novae_Logo.jpg

SOURCE novae; Visa

Panda Express Creates Pathway to Success for Potential Hires; Second Annual Panda Career Hiring Event Begins July 18

July 10, 2018

ROSEMEAD, California, July 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Looking to create career opportunities for more than 4,000 individuals, Panda Express, America’s favorite Chinese kitchen, will host its second annual Panda Career Event, from July 18 to 24, at 400 locations nationwide. The week-long initiative is focused on expanding the Panda family of talented and dedicated associates. Since it began in 1983, Panda Express has always been passionate about creating a pathway to success for potential new hires and fostering their personal and professional growth.

Celebrating its 35^th anniversary this year, Panda Express will continue its mission of inspiring better lives – in particular, for its associates who have committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences to Panda’s valued guests across the globe. Today, the family-owned restaurant is made up of over 35,000 associates and is dedicated to offering personal and professional development opportunities at every level. Because Panda believes that for the company to grow, its associates must grow as well, the company continues to invest in its associates. Expanding by over 100 locations each year, the restaurant consistently produces significant advancement opportunities for its devoted team members. In fact, all senior operations leaders at Panda Express have grown through the ranks, starting as general managers or other in-store positions.

“Our hope is that the Panda Career Event is not only a catalyst to welcome new associates into the Panda Family, but also shines a light on the lucrative career growth the restaurant industry has to offer,” said Leonard Yip, chief people officer at Panda Restaurant Group. “We look forward to discovering candidates who have the unwavering qualities of grit, grace, giving and humility – they’re the values we prize and see every day at our Panda Express restaurants.”

What began as a single restaurant, Panda Express has become the largest family-owned Asian restaurant concept in America. Led by Chinese immigrants Andrew and Peggy Cherng, the restaurant continues to be inspired by a “people-first” vision and family values upon which the company was founded, including its promise to uplift and support its Panda family members. With an annual investment of more than $200 million in its people last year alone, Panda Express associates are offered comprehensive benefits and perks to help them succeed in all facets of life:

Sustained Growth Opportunities – Panda Express continuously promotes from within, with the internal promotion rate from hourly to management positions being 70 percent; multi-unit managers and above are 100 percent internally promoted
Competitive Base Pay, Bonuses and Paid Time Off – In addition to paid time off and bonuses for all associates, Panda pays above the minimum wage rate nationwide by at least $0.50
Health and Wellness Benefits – Medical insurance with 80 percent of the premium covered by Panda and 50 percent for qualified dependents
Stock Options and Savings – Stock options and 401(k) savings accounts for eligible associates, with a 401(k) contribution match of up to four percent by Panda
Continuous Learning – Panda earmarks nearly $3 million in annual financial assistance to eligible associates in their journey to become high performing and inspirational leaders. Stipends for continuing education opportunities are provided for qualified associates, as well as scholarships with up to 60 percent of tuition coverage – a maximum of $2,000 per year per qualified associate
Associate Perks – Discounts to theme parks, movie tickets, mobile phones and service plans, gym memberships, Panda Restaurant Group restaurants, and more

A world leader in people development and an employer of choice, Panda Express is pleased to have more than doubled the number of stores that will participate in its nationwide Panda Career Event since its inaugural year. The restaurant will hold interviews for new positions at over 400 Panda Express locations across the U.S. and Canada. With openings at all levels, including general managers and cooks, Panda Express welcomes interested candidates to register for an interview and see how the growth of Panda’s associates is at the heart of the restaurant’s people-first culture.

More information regarding a career at Panda Express and information on how to schedule an interview may be found online at www.PandaCareers.com. Media inquiries may be directed to [email protected].

About Panda Express

Panda Express, America’s favorite Chinese kitchen, is best known for its wide variety of original recipes including its Original Orange Chicken™, SweetFire Chicken Breast®, award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp™ and Shanghai Angus Steak™. Founded in 1983 and now with more than 2,000 locations throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, Guatemala, Canada, Mexico, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Korea, and Japan, Panda Express is part of the family owned and operated Panda Restaurant Group, the world leader in Asian dining experiences that also includes Panda Inn and Hibachi-San. For more information, visit pandaexpress.com, or follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/684882/Panda_Express_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Panda Express

Hispanics’ Consumer Confidence Deteriorating as Concerns Grow Over Perceived Rising Cost of Living in the U.S.

July 10, 2018

The Business and Economics Polling Initiative (BEPI) at Florida Atlantic University conducts surveys on business, economic, political, and social issues with main focus on Hispanic attitudes and opinions at regional, state and national levels.

BOCA RATON, Florida, July 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Consumer confidence among Hispanics in the U.S. has deteriorated compared to the beginning of the year, as concerns have grown over the perceived rising cost of living, according to a new national consumer sentiment index conducted by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI) in FAU’s College of Business.

The Hispanic Consumer Sentiment Index (HCSI), taken from April through June, stands at 86.4, down more than 12 points from the first quarter of 2018 when the Index stood at 98.9, which was the highest score since the index went to a quarterly count in January 2017. The index continues to trail the 98.2 score for the overall U.S. population as published in June by the University of Michigan.

Overall, only 56 percent of Hispanics indicate that they are financially better off today than a year ago, down 13 points from the first quarter of 2018.

The percentage of Hispanics who indicated they will be better off a year from now dropped six points to 72 percent in the second quarter. Younger Hispanics between 18-34 years old (81 percent) are most optimistic about their future financial situation compared to the other age groups (68 percent of 35-54 year olds and above 58 percent of those 55 and over).

Four out of five Hispanics said the cost of living has gone up, a 21 percent rise since the first quarter. This perception, along with increasing concerns over their level of debt, rising gas prices and interest rate hikes, may explain why only 51 percent said they think it is a good time to buy a house (down from 59 percent in the first quarter), and only 49 percent said it is a good time to buy a car (down from 62 percent).

U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating among Hispanics dropped from 37 to 33 percent in the second quarter of 2018. Of those surveyed, 14.5 percent identified themselves as Republicans, 36.1 percent Democrats, 19.8 percent Independents and 29.6 percent were not registered.

The survey was conducted nationally from April 1 to June 30. The random polling sample consisted of 850 Hispanics, 18 years of age and older, with a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percent.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/214770/bepi_at_florida_atlantic_university_logo.jpg

SOURCE Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative

Teen crash risk highest during first three months after getting driver’s license

July 10, 2018

BETHESDA, Maryland, July 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Teenage drivers are eight times more likely to be involved in a collision or near miss during the first three months after getting a driver’s license, compared to the previous three months on a learner’s permit, suggests a study led by the National Institutes of Health. Teens are also four times more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as rapid acceleration, sudden braking and hard turns, during this period. In contrast, teens on a learner’s permit drove more safely, with their crash/near crash and risky driving rates similar to those of adults. The study appears in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

“Given the abrupt increase in driving risks when teenagers start to drive independently, our findings suggest that they may benefit from a more gradual decrease in adult supervision during the first few months of driving alone,” said Bruce Simons-Morton, Ed.D., M.P.H., senior investigator at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and one of the authors of the study.

The study is one of the first to follow the same individuals over time, from the beginning of the learner period through the first year of independent driving, while continuously collecting information using software and cameras installed in the participants’ vehicles.

The study also evaluated parents’ driving in the same vehicles, over the same time, on similar roads and under similar driving conditions as their children. Near-crash events were those requiring a last-moment maneuver to avoid a crash, while crashes were physical contact between the driver’s vehicle and another object.

The study enrolled 90 teenagers and 131 parents in Virginia, and the data collection system was developed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Blacksburg.

Overall, the study found that the crash/near crash rate for teenagers did not decline over the first year of independent driving, while the rate of risky driving modestly declined. According to the researchers, if teenagers were learning from their experiences, one would expect that the driving risks would consistently decline over time.

Teenagers also had a higher risky driving rate under favorable conditions—daytime or dry roads—compared to less favorable conditions—nighttime or wet roads. This finding implies that teenagers may be more careful and less inclined to take risks during unfavorable driving conditions.

When comparing male and female teens, the study team found that the risky driving rate did not differ by gender during the learning period. However, when teenagers entered independent driving stages, males had a higher risky driving rate. This rate did not consistently decrease over time for males but did decrease for females. The crash/near crash rate was similar across genders and driving periods.

“During the learner’s permit period, parents are present, so there are some skills that teenagers cannot learn until they are on their own,” said Pnina Gershon, Ph.D., the study’s lead author. “We need a better understanding of how to help teenagers learn safe driving skills when parents or other adults are not present.”

The researchers aim to identify factors that may improve safety and reduce specific driving risks. They plan to address whether the duration and quality of practice driving can predict future outcomes in the independent driving period. They also will explore how passengers influence driving risk during learner and independent driving periods.

ARTICLE:
Gershon P, Ehsani JP, Zhu C, Klauer S, Dingus T, and Simons-Morton B. Crash risk and risky driving behavior among adolescents during learner and independent driving periods. Journal of Adolescent Health DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.04.012 (2018)

About the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): NICHD conducts and supports research in the United States and throughout the world on fetal, infant and child development; maternal, child and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit NICHD’s website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

SOURCE Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Hinchcliffe, Honda Charge to Victory in Iowa

July 9, 2018

James Hinchcliffe scored his first victory of the season, and the sixth 2018 IndyCar Series win for Honda, Sunday at Iowa Speedway.

NEWTON, Iowa, July 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Making the correct calls throughout ever-changing track conditions, James Hinchcliffe worked his way to the front of the Verizon IndyCar Series field, then dominated the final 50 laps to win Sunday’s Iowa Corn 300 at Iowa Speedway. The win is the first for Hinchcliffe in 2018, and the sixth for Honda.

Starting 11^th after a brief slide during his qualifying run on Saturday, Hinchcliffe gained seven positions in the first 35 laps around the 7/8^th-mile Iowa oval, the shortest track on the IndyCar Series schedule. He worked his way up to second by the first round of scheduled pit stops, and remained among the leaders as he and his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team made adjustments to compensate for hotter conditions throughout the race.

Following the final round of pit stops on Lap 224, Hinchcliffe rapidly chased down race leaders Josef Newgarden and Spencer Pigot, taking the lead on Lap 256 and pulling away to a seven-second lead over the field on Lap 285. Contact on Lap 294 between a sliding Ed Carpenter and Takuma Sato resulted in the race ending under the caution flag, but with Hinchliffe still 2.6 seconds clear of the field at the checkers.

Despite the light contact with Carpenter, Sato completed his own charge in the final 50 laps to finish third, his best finish since winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2017. Completing a near-perfect day for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Hinchcliffe’s rookie teammate, Robert Wickens, finished fifth.

Video recaps from this weekend’s Honda IndyCar Series racing activities in Iowa – as well as Acura Motorsports action from Canadian Tire Motorsports Park – are available on the “Honda Racing/HPD” YouTube channel. Produced by the Carolinas Production Group, the video packages can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.

Next week, the Verizon IndyCar Series returns to one of the most popular stops on the schedule at the July 15 Honda Indy Toronto, which will be contested on a temporary street circuit on the grounds of Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

James Hinchcliffe (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda) Started 11^th, finished 1^st; 6^th career win; 6^th Honda IndyCar Series win of 2018: “A very good day. The best day. You know, it’s so nice to be back up top after the month of May that we had [not qualifying for the Indianapolis 500]. But we’ve had a couple good [race] weekends in a row now, strong performances from the whole team, and we kind of felt some momentum coming in here. We didn’t qualify particularly well, had a bit of a problem. But we got through a bunch of cars in that first stint, [then] got through a couple more in the pit cycle. Then, at that last [pit] stop, the Arrow crew just nailed it, gave us a really good change, and the car just came alive. I was able to put it wherever I needed to get through traffic, and the reason I was able to catch Josef [Newgarden] and ultimately get by him was just our ability through traffic. I can’t thank the guys enough for such a great car and great job in the pits. Overall, it was a great result for the Arrow car and for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in general.”

Takuma Sato (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) Started 10^th, finished 3^rd: “Yeah, I’m really, really pleased. In fact, Spencer [Pigot] and I had a lot of great, side-by-side racing, but I think we respected each other all the time. I think we gave a great show for the fans, put on a really good race. For me particularly, obviously I’m very happy to be on the podium, but this was a great achievement from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. We really struggled [early in the race weekend], but I think all the engineers did a fantastic job improving the car, and in the end, I think we pulled a really great car. So, a big ‘thank you’ to the whole team, the No. 30 car was fantastic today.”

Art St. Cyr (President, Honda Performance Development) on today’s Honda IndyCar Series win at Iowa Speedway: “This was an interesting result that attests to the unpredictable character of Iowa Speedway. The [setup] changes that James [Hinchcliffe] and his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team made during the race demonstrated [team owners] Sam Schmidt’s and Ric Peterson’s commitment to building a championship-caliber team. The fifth-place finish for [teammate] Robert Wickens is just further proof of the advancements made by SPM this year. Also, congrats are in order to Takuma and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for his best result since winning Indianapolis in 2017, and to everyone at HPD for another exciting Indy car victory today.”

Verizon IndyCar Series Iowa Corn 300
Circuit:	Iowa Speedway (0.894-mile oval) Newton, Iowa
2017 Winner:	Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) 139.172 mph average
Weather:	Sunny, warm, 79 degrees F

Top-10 Race Results:
Fn.	St.	Driver	Team	Manufacturer	Laps	Notes
1.	11.	James Hinchcliffe	Schmidt Peterson Mtspts	Honda	300	149.636 mph average
2.	10.	Spencer Pigot	Ed Carpenter Racing	Chevrolet	300	+2.649 seconds
3.	7.	Takuma Sato	Rahal Letterman Lanigan	Honda	300
4.	2.	Josef Newgarden	Team Penske	Chevrolet	300
5.	7.	Robert Wickens-R	Schmidt Peterson Mtspts	Honda	300
6.	1.	Will Power	Team Penske	Chevrolet	299
7.	12.	Graham Rahal	Rahal Letterman Lanigan	Honda	299
8.	4.	Simon Pagenaud	Team Penske	Chevrolet	299
9.	9.	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing	Chevrolet	298
10.	5.	Alexander Rossi	Andretti Autosport	Honda	298
Other Honda Results
11.	15.	Sebastien Bourdais	DCR with Vasser-Sullivan	Honda	297	Running
12.	6.	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda	296	Running
13.	8.	Ed Jones	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda	295	Running
16.	19.	Marco Andretti	Andretti Autosport	Honda	293	Running
19.	20.	Zachary Claman de Melo-R	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda	291	Running
19.	3.	Ryan Hunter-Reay	Andretti Autosport	Honda	283	Did not finish – suspension
20.	14.	Zach Veach-R	Andretti Autosport	Honda	279	Running

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/715714/levitt_0718_CORN_10378.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/83597/honda_performance_development__inc__honda_racing_logo.jpg

SOURCE Honda Racing

Chronicled Unveils Confidential Chain of Custody Solution at China Trade Development Week

July 9, 2018

Diagram of Chronicled's physical chain of custody system.

SHANGHAI, July 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Chronicled, Inc. has announced the launch of a confidential chain of custody solution at China Trade Development Week (GTDW) in Shanghai. The solution consists of secure product identifiers, mobile Apps, a web dashboard, and blockchain-as-a-service and is ideal for securing chain of custody for high value products. The solution is especially useful when there is a need to demonstrate that products are authentic and to prove their origin back to a bonafide producer.

The launch was announced by Chronicled CMO Sam Radocchia, a co-founder of the company, who was featured amongst a distinguished panel of global leaders by the event’s organizers. She presented at a workshop entitled “Brand Protection: Why Countering Illicit Trade and Promoting Market Integrity Are Vital.” The workshop was chaired by former Head of The OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade, Mr. David M. Luna. Mr. Luna is now CEO of Luna Global Networks & Convergence Strategies LLC, an international consultancy firm providing strategic advisory services to address some of the security and business challenges facing today’s global markets.

“The size of today’s global illicit markets is massive,” said Mr. Luna. “An array of consumer goods are impacted, from medicines and electronics to shoes, apparel, foodstuffs, and auto parts. They’re extremely profitable, so we see a tremendous amount of fake goods, and some are defective, toxic or dangerous and have killed tens of thousands of people. Smart products, cosmetics, movies, watches—you name it, there are counterfeits. The reality is that every IP product can be counterfeited by criminals and illicit networks.”

Chronicled has developed a solution capable of proving physical chain of custody using the blockchain, mobile devices, and secure digital identifiers to track physical assets. The strongest of these identifiers are the same encrypted NFC chips that are used in credit cards and government IDs. Lower cost secure barcode, 2D matrix, and QR code technologies are also available, and the system can work at the individual product, shipping unit, or palette level. The system ensures that a product’s history can be verified with 100% certainty, including tracking identity transformations of raw materials inputs, and appending documents and data along the chain of custody.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and other bodies, the trade in the largest counterfeit markets continues to grow. These include sensitive industries whose products are important to human health, global security and other crucial concerns. The top ten illicit markets as of the most recent available data are: Pharmaceuticals; Food; Luxury Apparel/Consumer Goods; Tobacco Products; Autos/Transportation; Environmentally Sensitive Goods; Corruption and Money Laundering; International Foreign Assistance; Defense; and the Theft of High Value Wine, Art, and Collectibles. Clearly, given the enormous economic impact of these verticals, combined with the public health and safety implications of many, a powerful solution is needed.

“We’ve worked very hard over the past several years at Chronicled to develop a real solution to this problem – one that has never existed before,” said Radocchia, the CMO. “Now, using the blockchain, we have a decentralized platform that is capable of solving some of these problems that have faced industry for decades. We’re very grateful for the opportunity to speak and discuss our work with the international community in Shanghai.” Among the international organizations present at the GTDW meeting included the World Trade Organization (WTO), OECD, INTERPOL, International Trademark Association (INTA), United Nations, World Customs Organization (WCO), and many others.

About Chronicled
Based in San Francisco, Chronicled is a technology company leveraging blockchain and IoT to bring trust, efficiency, and automation to global supply chain ecosystems. The Company is a pioneer in linking physical world economy workflows to blockchain systems and has developed a decentralized protocol and network for supply chain in order to extend trust boundaries and enforce cross-organization business rules without revealing private data. Currently, Chronicled’s most active market verticals are Pharmaceuticals, Commodities, and Precious Metals and Minerals. See: http://www.chronicled.com and http://www.chronicled.org

Contact: [email protected]

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/715710/chronicled.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/692104/Chronicled_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Chronicled

Toyota Celebrates a Sedan Serious About Play: the All-New Avalon

July 9, 2018

PLANO, Texas, July 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today Toyota launches a national marketing campaign, titled “Serious Play,” for the all-new 2019 Avalon that dares drivers to experience adventure, spontaneity and playfulness, and reminds all that the thrill of driving is the real prize. The campaign drives home the notion that the completely redesigned Avalon has everything drivers need to get more out of life.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8352851-toyota-avalon-sedan-serious-play/

The all-new Toyota Avalon – designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S. – embodies consumers’ overarching desire for high-caliber, design-centric, technologically-savvy modes of attainable, premium transportation.

“The Toyota team has transformed the driving experience for our flagship sedan to set a new standard for the premium segment and satiate drivers’ desire for authenticity, spontaneity and exploration,” said Ed Laukes, group vice president, marketing, Toyota Motor North America.

Two of the “Serious Play” campaign’s national 30-second TV spots, Let’s Race and Trojan Horse, were directed by renowned director Craig Gillespie, most recently known for the award-winning film “I, Tonya.” A third bold and daring 30-second spot, Catch Me If You Can, was directed by Daniel Azancot. The commercials were developed using multicultural insights aimed at a transcultural audience. The campaign also includes a series of digital videos including Roundabout, River Run, Scavenger Hunt, Waiting, Hybrid at Play, Musical Play, Performance Play, Group Play, Connected Play and Simon Says created to tell stories of an impulsive quest for adventure.

The fully-integrated campaign was developed between two of Toyota’s agencies of record, including Saatchi & Saatchi and Burrell Communications.

Media Placements
The “Serious Play” TV spots will air in select targeted cable programming across NBCU, FOX Networks, Viacom, Turner and Discovery Cable networks. Additional elements of the campaign include dynamic digital, audio as well as print ads in high profile publications such as Esquire, Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine and Architectural Digest. New integrated media partnerships include Pinterest Pincodes, Discovery, Reddit/WBUR’s “Endless Thread” Podcast series, and more. Additionally, spots will air within select movie titles in theaters nationwide throughout the summer in conjunction with National CineMedia. Overall, this campaign is slated to deliver 3.1 billion impressions.

About the 2019 Toyota Avalon

Exclusively produced in Georgetown, KY, the fifth-generation Avalon is the latest example of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform and features the highest quality, reliability, safety and craftsmanship in its class.

The new Avalon includes a few firsts for Toyota:

Available Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), which enhances controllability and dynamic handling;
Standard Apple CarPlay Compatibility and Available Dynamic Auxiliary Turn Signals;
Available Engine Sound Enhancement (that’s right, you can literally press a button that gives you the authentic sounds of a sports car);
Amazon Alexa connectivity and Toyota Entune™ 3.0 Remote Connect – an advanced vehicle app that enables you to connect to Toyota Entune™ 3.0 technology and manage your Toyota from any distance (as long as both the vehicle & smartphone are able to establish cellular connections).

With four available grades, the new Avalon will accommodate a wide array of customers/drivers: the two dedicated Sport Plus models, XSE and Touring, plus the more luxurious XLE and Limited. Hybrid grades include XLE, XSE and Limited.

The “Serious Play” spots are available for viewing here. View photos of the all-new Avalon here. The vehicle is on sale now in dealerships.

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 47,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2017 – and about 87 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.

Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to assist more people move more places. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Media Contacts:

Leigh Anne Sessions
Toyota Motor North America
424-488-4200
[email protected]

Kimberly Harms
Saatchi for Toyota
702-234-9517
[email protected]

SOURCE Toyota

March of Dimes And Gretchen Carlson Unveil Inaugural Cohort of Advocacy Fellows

July 9, 2018

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — March of Dimes, the nation’s leading maternal and infant health nonprofit, today announced the next phase of its MOMentum advocacy network with the unveiling of its inaugural cohort of women chosen from over 200 applicants to champion the issues important to women, moms, babies and families.

March of Dimes President Stacey D. Stewart and Ms. Carlson convened the group of 20 women on Capitol Hill to kick off the year-long advocacy fellowship. The experience begins with the MOMentum Meetup, a series of workshops on grassroots organizing and advocacy, culminating with a Congressional day-of-action meeting with key legislators and staff.

“March of Dimes MOMentum marks the beginning of a movement, embodied by the next generation of women’s advocates dedicated to making a change for all moms and women,” said Stewart. “Bringing this powerful group together in Washington, D.C. signifies not only the critical need for grassroots engagement around issues that matter today, but the urgency for more action to address the health crisis women, moms and babies face in America.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of the group of women that have been selected for this inaugural class,” said Carlson. “They [the fellows] illustrate what today’s woman really looks like: engaged, active in their communities and using their networks to problem solve. They are natural leaders who will lift up the issues facing today’s moms, mothers-to-be and babies.”

Launched in partnership with Ms. Carlson and supported by her Gift of Courage Fund, the MOMentum Gretchen Carlson Advocacy Fellowship will engage and empower the fellows through regular trainings with leaders in maternal and child health and advocacy to learn how to shape public discussion, influence their networks and engage others to affect the changes needed to shape a brighter future for all moms and babies. Fellows will come together to build their skills in ongoing advocacy, media and storytelling training.

March of Dimes will activate the fellows throughout the year around important policy moments on both the national and state levels. On Tuesday, the fellows will lobby Members of Congress in support of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018, a bill to renew and update federal programs that enhance research and education on the prevention and treatment of preterm births. The fellows will also advocate in support of national legislation to reduce maternal mortality, such as the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act and the Maternal Health Accountability Act.

This year’s fellows represent group of women diverse in age, race/ethnicity, careers and geographic location who demonstrate the passion and lived experience on key issues facing moms and babies.

Meet MOD MOMentum’s 2018 Gretchen Carlson Advocacy Fellows:

E. STARR BARBOUR [Maryland]
Founder and CEO, STILLGOING
E. Starr Barbour has more than 15 years of executive leadership experience with some of America’s top companies including General Electric, IBM and Accenture and the founder of STILLGOING, an online “live” guided meditation platform promoting workplace wellness and employee productivity.
HANNAH BERGBOWER [Pennsylvania]
Midwife, Nurse Practitioner
Hannah Bergbower, RN BSN MPH, began working as a Registered Nurse in 2010 after graduating from Lakeview College of Nursing.
BREANN BIERMAN-VOGT [Arizona]
Freelance journalist
Breann Bierman-Vogt is a full-time mom, an award winning journalist and communications professional and volunteer advocate for mothers and babies.
CAROLYN BROOKS [Georgia]
Director of Strategic Initiatives, United Health Group
Dr. Carolyn Brooks is a Director of Strategic Initiatives on the Product Development team at UnitedHealthcare Community & State where she is responsible for designing, implementing and scaling products and programs aimed to improve health outcomes for those they serve.
EMILY COLLINS [Indianapolis]
Mom; Army veteran
Emily Collins is a former Army officer and mother of three, including a recent NICU graduate.
ASHLEY COOPER [California]
Director of Development, Major Gifts, USC Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism
Ashley Dawn Cooper is the Director of Development at the USC Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism and mother of four-year-old twins.
ANDREA DEMARIA [Indiana]
Assistant Professor, Public Health Graduate Program, Purdue University
Dr. Andrea L. DeMaria is a tenure-track Assistant Professor within the Department of Consumer Science at Purdue University and the first faculty hire at Purdue with a joint appointment in the Public Health Graduate Program within the College of Health and Human Sciences.
GAIL EISENBERG [Indiana]
Civil Rights Attorney, Stowell & Friedman, Ltd.; New Trier Township Trustee
Gail Schnitzer Eisenberg is a civil rights attorney at Stowell & Friedman, Ltd., focusing on workplace discrimination and harassment and a mother of two.
FELISHA FLOYD [Florida]
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC); Author
Felisha Floyd, BC, CLC, IBCLC, is an author, speaker, trainer, consultant and an award-winning hospital-based International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She is also the owner of the consulting service Beyond Breastfeeding and the founder of the support group Our Brown Baby.
APRIL HAMILTON [Arizona]
Assistant General Counsel, Employment & Litigation, GoDaddy.com, LLC
April Hamilton is Assistant General Counsel on the Employment and Litigation team at GoDaddy and a mother of two.
MEGHAN HOWELL [Louisiana]
Pediatrician; Clinical Director of the Tulane NICU Graduate Clinic; Tulane Medical School professor
Dr. Meghan Howell is a board certified pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics through Tulane University School of Medicine and a mother of two.
KATHERINE MORROW [South Carolina]
Communications Professional
Kate Morrow has over ten years of experience as a senior level executive in health care communications and non-profit management and mother of twins. Kate is focused on advocating for better maternity leave and more flexible career options for women.
JAIDALYN RAND-OUSLEY [Illinois]
Health Care Administrator; Wellness Director, Westside Health Authority
Jaidalyn Rand-Ousley leads a team of community wellness workers in conducting in-home wellness visits for seniors, single mothers, and other special need populations. She is also a mother and medical student at Trinity School of Medicine.
KNESHA ROSE-DAVISON [Louisiana]
Health Communications Director, AgriSafe Network
Knesha Rose-Davison is the Health Communications Director with AgriSafe Network, a nonprofit organization that addresses occupational health issues within the agricultural community.
NATALIE SAWYER [Texas]
Mom; dedicated March of Dimes volunteer
Natalie Sawyer divides her time between raising four young boys, managing a household and volunteering for local organizations.
EMILY SCOTT [Indiana]
Pediatrician; Medical Director Newborn Nursery, Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital
Dr. Emily Scott is a pediatric hospitalist at Indiana University Health and Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and a mother of two.
KRISTEN SHARP [Wisconsin]
OB/GYN; Medical Director of Centering Pregnancy, Dept of OB/GYN, UWSMPH
Dr. Kristen Sharp is an Ob/Gyn at the University of Wisconsin and the medical director of their Centering Pregnancy program (a group prenatal care model that has been shown to improve birth outcomes) and a mother of two.
LEIGH TOWNSEND [Louisiana]
NICU Family Support Navigator
Leigh Townsend, MPA, CPXP serves as the NICU Family Support Navigator at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, LA. She is a mother and the parent partner with the NICU’s Quality team, and serves as the parent voice for the 84 bed Level III NICU.
LAURA VARGAS [Arizona]
Procurement Supervisor, City of Phoenix, Human Services Department
Laura Vargas is a procurement supervisor for the city of Phoenix, Arizona Human Services Department and a mother.
SARAH WILKERSON [Colorado]
Marketing Manager; Vice President of the Board, Save Babies Through Screening Foundation
Sarah Wilkerson is a mom and rare disease advocate, as her son Noah was born with a rare genetic disorder in 2009. She recently lobbied to update Colorado’s newborn screening law, which was passed in June 2018.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/513643/March_of_Dimes_Foundation_Logo.jpg

SOURCE March of Dimes

(Español) Purina Dog Chow lanza la campaña ‘Service Dog Salute’ para donar hasta $500,000 para los veteranos y perros de servicio a través de la Animal Rescue Foundation de Tony La Russa

July 9, 2018

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