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Broadway Angels and Chronicled Aligned for Growth Phase of Blockchain and Supply Chain Ecosystems with Pre-Series A Investment

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Chronicled

SAN FRANCISCO, May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Chronicled, Inc. has announced an investment by Broadway Angels in the company’s pre-Series A financing. Over the past year, Chronicled, a technology firm using blockchain technology to secure and automate industrial supply chains has grown significantly, adding team members and launching a production-ready platform. The investment from Broadway Angels will help Chronicled to execute on its strategic roadmap.

Chronicled

“Broadway Angels is delighted to invest in Chronicled,” said Sonja Perkins, Founder of Broadway Angels. “Blockchain technology will solve some of the biggest problems in enterprise and we view Chronicled as the leader in supply chain.”

Broadway Angels represents the top women venture capitalists, founders, and thought leaders in Silicon Valley.  Broadway Angels invests in the best companies, with both male and female founders, while diversifying cap tables and showcasing female excellence in investing.

The group includes:

  • Sonja Perkins, founder of The Perkins Fund, Broadway Angels and Project Glimmer.  She spent 22 years at Menlo Ventures and won the “Investor of the Year Award” six times.  Sonja has invested in three start-ups that achieved multi billion dollar public company valuations.
  • Jennifer Fonstad, Partner at Aspect Ventures and co-founder of Broadway Angels.  Jennifer spent over 20 years with DFJ and now runs the largest female founded venture capital firm in the world.  
  • Katherine August de Wilde, Vice Chair & Member of Board, First Republic Bank.  She is on the boards of SunRun and Eventbrite.
  • Elen Levy, referred to as the “Most Connected Woman in Silicon Valley” by Fast Company; former Head of Strategic Initiatives and member of Exec Team, LinkedIn.
  • Shellye Archambeau, former CEO of IBM Asia-Pacific and MetricStream.  She currently serves on the boards of Verizon and Nordstrom.
  • Karen Boezi, former CEO, Redwood Bioscience.  Karen was the co-founder and Managing Partner of Thomas McNerney & Partners.  She has over 20 years of healthcare private equity experience.

“It is great to have such an influential group of women investing in Chronicled, the future of blockchain, and the larger social movements this technology represents,” said Samantha Radocchia, Co-Founder at Chronicled. “We are excited to have strong partners as we strive towards decentralization, inclusion, and responsible global trade.”

The investment bridges into a larger Series A round that Chronicled plans to close in 2018. Since its launch in 2014 Chronicled has raised more than $10m in Angel and Seed financing.

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.

http://www.chronicled.com

Contact:
[email protected]

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

SOURCE Chronicled

Inside Rx Prescription Savings Program Marks First Anniversary By Achieving $100 Million Savings Milestone

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FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In just one year, customers of the Inside Rx® prescription savings program collectively have saved $100 million on their medications. Inside Rx, launched by Express Scripts (NASDAQ:ESRX) in May of 2017, is celebrating its first year of providing deep discounts on more than 125 brand-name medications, and a robust list of generic medications, for Americans who are uninsured or pay out-of-pocket for their prescriptions.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8323251-inside-rx-one-year-anniversary-prescription-medications/

Inside Rx offers patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol more affordable access to the therapies they need at a price they can afford, with average savings of 40 percent off on brand-name and 80 percent off retail on generics medications. It also offers access to many other therapies including treatments for epilepsy, erectile dysfunction, migraines, and dermatology drugs not often covered through health insurance.

“We work with drug manufacturers and retail pharmacies to constantly increase our portfolio of products and offer eligible uninsured and underinsured patients deep discounts in the most critical therapy classes affecting people in our country,” said Leslie Achter, CEO of Inside Rx. “Since launch, we have also added a Spanish-language version of our website to help Spanish-speaking patients have access to the online information.” The site is available at InsideRx.com/Es.

Earlier this year, the program launched Inside Rx Pets offering savings on select medications commonly prescribed for pets purchased at any of the participating pharmacies.

To benefit from the Inside Rx discounts, eligible users simply need to download the free discount card from InsideRx.com and present it at one of the 40,000 participating pharmacies including national chains such as CVS, the Kroger Family of Pharmacies and Walgreens. There is no membership fee or other costs to obtain the card.  

For a complete list of the medications and participating pharmacies, as well as restrictions and eligibility information, visit InsideRx.com. The Inside Rx card is not insurance.  

*Average savings per prescription for Inside Rx users are based on cash price versus Inside Rx price for featured brand medications.

About Inside Rx

Headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Inside Rx provides affordable access to medication, especially for the uninsured and those navigating the changing healthcare landscape.

Powered by our parent company, Express Scripts, and working collaboratively across the pharmacy supply chain, Inside Rx delivers access to a broad list of branded medications that treat many common, chronic health conditions.

Visit https://InsideRx.com/ or follow us @Inside_Rx on Twitter, to learn more.

 

SOURCE Inside Rx

(Español) Argentina avanza en su búsqueda por estrechar los lazos con EEUU y Miami es la puerta de entrada al comercio, de los mercados del Norte y el Caribe

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El Gobernador de la Rioja Sergio Casas y el Ministro de Infraestructura Juan Velardez, reciben en la provincia a la Directora de la Cámara de Comercio Argentina Americana de Florida Lic. Nancy Clara (PRNewsfoto/www.nancyclara.com)

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Pizza Hut and Telepizza Group Announce Landmark International Growth Alliance

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  • Doubles Pizza Hut’s footprint in the regions covered by the alliance; places Pizza Hut in the #1 position in the category across Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of unit count; and confirms Pizza Hut position as the world’s largest pizza restaurant company
  • Telepizza Group to become a leading multi-country pizza operator worldwide and Pizza Hut’s largest master franchisee globally by unit count
  • Alliance nearly doubles Telepizza Group’s store portfolio to more than 2,500 units and €1.1 billion (1.3 Bn $) in system sales, with a presence in 37 countries with more than 500 million potential consumers
  • Long-term alliance involves Telepizza Group opening 1,300 new stores over the next 10 years across regions covered in alliance: Spain, Portugal, Latin America (excluding Brazil), the Caribbean and Switzerland

PLANO, Texas, and MADRID, Spain, May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Pizza Hut, a division of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) and the world’s largest pizza restaurant company with nearly 17,000 restaurants in over 100 countries, and Telepizza Group (BME: TPZ), the largest non-U.S. pizza delivery company worldwide with more than 1,600 stores in over 20 countries, today announced a strategic deal and master franchise alliance to accelerate growth across Latin America (excluding Brazil), the Caribbean, Spain (including Andorra), Portugal and Switzerland.

The landmark deal doubles Pizza Hut’s footprint in the regions covered by the alliance; places Pizza Hut in the number one position in the category across Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of unit count; and confirms Pizza Hut’s position as the world’s largest pizza restaurant company. As a result of the alliance, Telepizza Group will become Pizza Hut’s largest master franchisee globally by unit count and a leading multi-country pizza operator worldwide.

“This ground-breaking deal is a major milestone in our journey to become the most loved, fastest growing pizza brand in the world, and Telepizza Group is the ideal partner with the capability, commitment and capital to accelerate Pizza Hut’s expansion into key high-growth regions like Latin America,” said Milind Pant, President, Pizza Hut International. “Geographically, this long-term, strategic alliance with Telepizza Group will make Pizza Hut accessible to more consumers over time, helping fulfill our mission of making it easier to get a better quality pizza.”

“Our alliance with Pizza Hut delivers on Telepizza Group’s strategic plan to transform pizza delivery with a management model grounded in improving the customer experience through best-in-class operations,” said Pablo Juantegui, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Telepizza Group. “The deal accelerates our global growth plan, nearly doubles the scale of our business and extends our international reach to 37 countries, which represent more than 500 million potential consumers. The aspirations and capabilities of Telepizza Group and Pizza Hut International are complementary, and we are confident this deal will drive significant value for customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders as it represents an ideal platform for future growth opportunities.”

“At Pizza Hut International, we’re focusing all of our innovation, technology investments and franchise alliances on delivering the easiest, fastest and tastiest pizza experience wherever we operate,” said Enrique Ramirez, Global Chief Growth Officer, Pizza Hut. “Telepizza Group is the ideal partner to help us deliver on this focus across Latin America (excluding Brazil), the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, because of their incredible depth and capability in franchise operations and supply chain management. Leveraging the strong experience of our Pizza Hut franchisees, we expect this to accelerate the growth of Pizza Hut with a best-of-both approach.”

Highlights of the alliance include:

  • Spain and Portugal. In Spain, where Telepizza is the leading player, and in Portugal, Telepizza Group will continue operating the Telepizza brand, but it will also operate Pizza Hut stores and oversee Pizza Hut franchisees. Telepizza will leverage the best of Pizza Hut capabilities and well-known signature products.
  • Latin America (excluding Brazil) and the Caribbean. As master franchisee, Telepizza Group will oversee Pizza Hut franchisees who will continue to operate Pizza Hut stores in Latin America (excluding Brazil) and the Caribbean.  Telepizza Group will also progressively convert its existing stores in this region to Pizza Huts and leverage Pizza Hut’s brand awareness to accelerate store network expansion and boost entry into key growth markets.
  • Unit Development Growth. Across the regions covered in the alliance, Telepizza Group will target opening at least 1,300 new stores over the next 10 years, and 2,550 stores total over 20 years. The vast majority of the new store openings will be Pizza Hut, including all stores in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Supply Chain: Telepizza Group will manage Pizza Hut’s supply chain in Latin America (excluding Brazil), the Caribbean, Spain (including Andorra), Portugal and Switzerland and will become an authorized supplier of Pizza Hut establishments. Both groups will explore further possibilities of collaboration in this field worldwide.

Completion of the alliance will be subject to certain conditions, including regulatory approvals and approval by Telepizza Group shareholders.

Impact to Telepizza

The alliance will nearly double Telepizza Group’s store portfolio to more than 2,500 units and €1.1 billion (1.3 Bn $) in system sales, making the company present in 37 countries with more than 500 million potential consumers. Telepizza Group will leverage its strong operational capabilities to crystallize the significant industrial synergies resulting from the combined platform, and will also benefit from its enlarged footprint to accelerate its international growth expansion. All this will be achieved without impacting Telepizza Group’s leverage profile nor its dividend policy and preserving Telepizza Group’s commitment with its current network of franchisees, targeting €100 million (120 M $) EBITDA by 2021.

Impact to Pizza Hut

This landmark deal moves Pizza Hut to the number one position in the category across Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of unit count. Across all the markets covered in the alliance, Telepizza Group will oversee nearly 1,000 Pizza Huts and contribute nearly 1,500 of its stores to Pizza Hut’s global unit count.  Pizza Hut International franchisees in these regions will continue to operate their businesses, under the management of Telepizza as a Pizza Hut master franchisee.  This strategic deal is a long-term initiative by Pizza Hut expected to result in accelerated unit development and operating profit growth on what will be a combined initial unit count of nearly 2,500 stores. The transaction is not expected to have a significant impact on Yum! Brands’ core operating results or cash flows over the next few years.

About Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), has more restaurant locations in the world than any other pizza company. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kan., Pizza Hut operates nearly 17,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com.

About Telepizza

Telepizza Group, headquartered in Madrid, operates in 23 countries with Telepizza and Jeno’s Pizza brands, among others, and celebrates 30 years with over 60 million of pizzas delivered worldwide. The Company manages a total network of 1,607 stores including 441 owned stores and 1,166 franchisees and master franchisees (as of 31 December, 2017) and is the leading player by number of stores in Spain, Portugal, Chile and Colombia. Total sales in its network, including own stores, franchisees and master franchisees, recorded as chain sales, amounted €561.6 million euro in the 12 months ended December 31, 2017. Telepizza Group is listed in the Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia stock exchanges with its shares starting trading on April 27, 2016.

About Yum! Brands

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, has over 45,000 restaurants in more than 135 countries and territories and is one of the Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders in North America. In 2018, Yum! Brands was recognized as part of the inaugural Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and ranked among the top 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine. In 2017, Yum! Brands was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index. The company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – are global leaders of the chicken, pizza and Mexican-style food categories. Worldwide, the Yum! Brands system opens over seven new restaurants per day on average, making it a leader in global retail development.

More information:

Analistas e inversores Grupo Telepizza:
+34 91 6576200
[email protected]

Medios Grupo Telepizza:
Telepizza (Miguel Justribó) + 34 626 338 993 / 646 844 460
[email protected] /

Omnicom PR Group (Víctor Acero / Rosa Fernández / Idoia Revuelta) 
 +34 91 7883200 / 680449126 / 606077813
[email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]

Medios Pizza Hut:
Weber Shandwick (Raquel Capellas / Francisco Porras)
+34 917458614 / 917458623 / 607241119 / 607527721
[email protected] / [email protected]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This communication does not constitute an offer to purchase, sell or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or exchange any securities. The shares of TELEPIZZA GROUP may not be offered or sold in the United States of America except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to a valid exemption from registration.

This communication contains forward-looking information and statements about TELEPIZZA GROUP, including financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, capital expenditures, synergies, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally identified by the words “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates” and similar expressions.

Although TELEPIZZA GROUP believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of TELEPIZZA GROUP shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of TELEPIZZA GROUP, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the documents sent by TELEPIZZA GROUP to the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. They have not been reviewed by the auditors of TELEPIZZA GROUP. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. All oral or written forward-looking statements hereby made or otherwise attributable to TELEPIZZA GROUP or any of its members, directors, officers, employees or any persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified on its entirety by the cautionary statement above. All the forward-looking statements included herein are based on information available to TELEPIZZA GROUP on the date hereof. Except as required by applicable law, TELEPIZZA GROUP does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This announcement may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as “expect,” “expectation,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may,” “could,” “intend,” “belief,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “predict,” “likely,” “seek,” “project,” “model,” “ongoing,” “will,” “should,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “new store opening goals” or similar terminology. These statements are based on and reflect our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and/ or projections, our perception of historical trends and current conditions, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances. Forward-looking statements are neither predictions nor guarantees of future events, circumstances or performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. There can be no assurance that our expectations, estimates, assumptions and/or projections, including with respect to the future earnings and performance or capital structure of Yum! Brands, will prove to be correct or that any of our expectations, estimates or projections will be achieved.

Numerous factors could cause our actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: food safety and food borne-illness issues; health concerns arising from outbreaks of viruses or other diseases; the success of our franchisees and licensees, and the success of our transformation initiatives, including our refranchising strategy; our significant exposure to the Chinese market; changes in economic and political conditions in countries and territories outside of the U.S. where we operate; our ability to protect the integrity and security of individually identifiable data of our customers and employees; our increasing dependence on digital commerce platforms and information technology systems; the impact of social media; our ability to secure and maintain distribution and adequate supply to our restaurants; the success of our development strategy in emerging markets; changes in commodity, labor and other operating costs; pending or future litigation and legal claims or proceedings; changes in or noncompliance with government regulations, including labor standards and anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; recent Tax Legislation (defined below) and other tax matters, including disagreements with taxing authorities; consumer preferences and perceptions of our brands; changes in consumer discretionary spending and general economic conditions; competition within the retail food industry; and risks relating to our significant amount of indebtedness. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty.

Information regarding the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Legislation”) consists of preliminary estimates which are forward-looking statements and are subject to change. Information regarding the impact of Tax Legislation is based on our current calculations, as well our current interpretations, assumptions and expectations relating to Tax Legislation, which are subject to further ongoing change.

The forward-looking statements included in this announcement are only made as of the date of this announcement and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Milind Pant, President, Pizza Hut International and Pablo Juantegui Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Telepizza Group

Logo:  https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/692337/Telepizza_Logo.jpg

Photo:  https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/692338/Telepizza__Chief_Executive_Officer.jpg

SOURCE Telepizza

The Home Depot to Present at Bernstein 34th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference

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The Home Depot logo. (PRNewsFoto/The Home Depot) (PRNewsFoto/)

ATLANTA, May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, today announced that Craig Menear, chairman, CEO and president, will present at the Bernstein 34th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference in New York, NY. The presentation will begin at 8 a.m. ET on May 31, 2018.

The Home Depot logo. (PRNewsFoto/The Home Depot) (PRNewsFoto/)

The presentation will be webcast live over the internet at http://ir.homedepot.com/events-and-presentations. A link will be displayed under “Events and Presentations.” The webcast will be archived and available at the same location after the conclusion of the live event and will be available until November 27, 2018.

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,285 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. In fiscal 2017, The Home Depot had sales of $100.9 billion and earnings of $8.6 billion. The Company employs more than 400,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/118058/the_home_depot_logo.jpg

SOURCE The Home Depot

Cigna Furthers its Commitment to Help Curb the National Opioid Epidemic

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New campaign advances the concept of a “pain plan” to encourage conversations among patients and health care providers about the safe use of opioids and other pain management options

BLOOMFIELD, Connecticut, May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Global health service company Cigna (NYSE: CI) is furthering its commitment to curbing the national opioid epidemic by launching a new online campaign featuring easy to use tools to inform Americans and their loved ones about the safe use of opioids for pain management.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8325651-cigna-opioid-epidemic-education-campaign/  

Cigna’s focus is on preventing the risk of opioid misuse, even before a prescription is written. The new campaign advances the concept of a “pain plan,” which is intended to help people partner with their health care providers to better understand available treatments, including behavioral, pharmaceutical and medical options, provide guidance for the safe and appropriate use of opioids, and set goals for pain relief.

An estimated 2.5 million people suffer from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers in the United States1.  Additionally, one in five people are at increased risk of long-term use with just a 10-day prescription2. A proprietary study from Cigna found that while 80 percent of respondents agree that “anyone could become addicted to opioids, even someone like me,” the majority are unaware or disagree that “opioids are not safe to take for more than one week without an increased risk of addiction”3.To help encourage informed conversations, people can text “Help with Pain” to 25792 to receive a list of questions they can ask their health care provider, along with a link to other helpful resources. Cigna has also developed a tool enabling people to determine if a prescription is an opioid or not by entering the name of the medicine on the Help with Pain website. 

“Both acute and chronic pain can be debilitating, and we understand the real challenges people face when trying to cope with their pain,” said Douglas Nemecek, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Behavioral Health at Cigna. “We want to help people better understand pain, how it manifests, and ultimately, how to manage it safely and effectively, immediately and over time. The best place to begin is to have an informed conversation with your health care provider and develop a highly personalized pain plan together.”

To resonate with Americans in a meaningful way, Cigna has partnered with a group of influencers, representing well-known athletes, chefs and bloggers. This includes Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce, award-winning celebrity chef and author of Rocco’s Healthy + Delicious, Rocco DiSpirito and Pinteresting Plans blogger Rachel Moore, among others. Each will share why they are aligning with this campaign, with the goal of raising awareness about opioid addiction and introduce simple, preventive solutions.

“At Cigna, we focus on preventive care and keeping people healthy,” said Stephen Cassell, Vice President, Global Branding at Cigna. “That’s why it’s important to help people take control of their health by educating them about pain management and encouraging them to talk with their care provider to create a pain plan.  We’ve made this process easy and simple. When people send us a text message, we’ll respond with the key questions to ask their care provider when discussing their pain management.”

This campaign comes on the heels of Cigna’s recent announcement that in partnership with more than 1.1 million prescribing clinicians, the company has achieved a 25 percent reduction in opioid use among its customers, reaching this key metric one year ahead of its goal.

Cigna’s new pain resource website provides tools for individuals, care providers and employers to help prevent opioid misuse through education. The website will better equip people to have informed conversations with care providers about chronic and acute pain, and the risks and benefits associated with opioid prescriptions.

To learn why you need to make a pain plan with your care provider and if your prescription is an opioid, please visit cigna.com/helpwithpain. For more information on Cigna’s efforts to fight the opioid epidemic, please visit https://www.cigna.com/about-us/healthcare-leadership/away-from-blame.

About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in over 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 95 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit https://www.cigna.com. For more information about Cigna’s proposed acquisition of Express Scripts, please visit http://www.makinghealthcaresimple.com.

REFERENCES

  1. McLellan AT. Substance Misuse and Substance use Disorders: Why do they Matter in Healthcare? Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association. 2017;128:112-130. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5525418/
  2. Shah A, Hayes CJ, Martin BC. Characteristics of Initial Prescription Episodes and Likelihood of Long-Term Opioid Use — United States, 2006–2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017;66:265–269. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6610a1.
  3. Omnibus Survey, Cigna, 11/3/17-11/6/17.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ellie Polack

Ph. 860.902.4906      

[email protected]

 

SOURCE Cigna

Yolo Rum Gold Takes Double Gold at 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

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Yolo Rum - You Only Live Once... Be extraordinary, drink extraordinary rum!

DENVER and SAN FRANCISCO, May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Fresh off multiple wins at the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition and San Diego Spirits Fest, Yolo Rum‘s premier blend, Yolo Rum Gold, won a Double Gold Medal at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Yolo Rum Silver also took home a Bronze Medal.

Yolo Rum - You Only Live Once... Be extraordinary, drink extraordinary rum!

“I guess these medals show that master rum blender Don Pancho Fernandez knows what he’s doing,” said Yolo Rum founder Philip Guerin. “But, seriously, Yolo Rum is a tremendous value considering it is a highly decorated boutique spirit. It seems like the more prestigious the competition, the higher we place.”

Held in early spring at the Hotel Nikko, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of the premier events of its kind, attracting entrants and attendees from all over the world. This year, over two thousand entrants participated in a variety of spirits categories. Ranked as one of the top cocktail festivals in America, SFWSC judges come from the ranks of top food and beverage buyers, writers, columnists, beverage directors, and sommeliers. This year marks the eighteenth anniversary of the competition.

Continuing an impressive, award-winning run at industry expositions and competitions, this win puts Yolo Rum’s international medal count at 21. Yolo Rum has also received multiple wins from the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition, and taken home more gold medals at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. Now they add two more medals to their crowded trophy case.

At the heart of the Yolo Rum operation is master distiller Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez. Born in Cuba and operating out of the Republic of Panama, Don Pancho is the world’s most-respected and honored ronero (that’s “rum blender,” for the layman). The recipient of hundreds of awards, Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez is acclaimed worldwide as the ultimate practitioner of his craft and recognized as a man who elevates the trade of rum making to high art. Yolo Rums are gluten free, with no added sugar or molasses and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, and the company produces its products using revolutionary environmentally sustainable processes. Offering boutique quality at exceptional value, Yolo Rum is the ideal synthesis of ancient crafts and modern tastes.

Yolo Rum is exploring a possible equity crowdfund. This could be the opportunity to invest in an equity-based share of Yolo Rum. For information, visit yolorum.com/invest.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/488493/Yolo_Rum_Logo.jpg 

SOURCE Yolo Rum

Production of All-New 2019 Acura RDX Begins at East Liberty Auto Plant

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Production of All-New 2019 Acura RDX Begins at East Liberty Auto Plant

EAST LIBERTY, Ohio, May 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Acura today celebrated the start of mass production of the all-new 2019 Acura RDX, the first in a new generation of Acura products built around Acura’s Precision Crafted Performance brand direction. The new RDX is a clean-sheet, top-to-bottom redesign of Acura’s perennial top-selling five-passenger luxury SUV, brought to life through new capital investment of $54 million in new technologies and processes at the East Liberty Auto Plant (ELP).

New technologies at the East Liberty Auto Plant include a new roller hemming process for the new RDX’s ultra-wide panoramic moonroof and the use of high-performance structural adhesives for enhanced body rigidity – both manufacturing firsts for a mass-produced Acura model. A new multi-layer paint system highlights the introduction of new Acura-exclusive premium exterior color options.

“This new RDX defines the future of Acura, and our Ohio team did an incredible job preparing this first in a new generation of Acura vehicles for our customers,” said Jim Hefner, plant manager at the East Liberty Auto Plant. “Paired with a new Ohio-made 2.0-liter Turbo engine, an all-new platform and a host of new technologies, the 2019 RDX sets a new high bar for style, performance and sophistication in a compact luxury SUV.”

The new Acura RDX takes its power from a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0-liter, VTEC® Turbo engine produced at the nearby Anna, Ohio engine plant. The engine is mated to a segment-first 10-speed automatic transmission (10AT) manufactured at the company’s Tallapoosa, Georgia transmission plant. Peak output is 272 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque, with the new 10AT and available next-generation of Acura Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive® (SH-AWD™), making this the quickest, best-handling RDX yet. The all-new 2019 Acura RDX will begin arriving at U.S. Acura dealerships in June.

The Acura RDX is launching from a position of strength as the top selling nameplate in the compact luxury SUV segment since its launch in 2006, with cumulative U.S. sales of more than 375,000 units (through end of April 2018), all made in Ohio.  RDX also is coming off its 3rd straight year of 50,000 or higher sales (2015-17), something no other model in segment can claim.

In addition to being manufactured in the U.S. for the past 12 years and over three generations, the all-new 2019 model is the first RDX to be designed and developed in America. Styling design of the RDX was conducted by the Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles, California, with development undertaken by the company’s North American R&D team, based in Raymond, Ohio. The RDX has been completely reengineered on a new, Acura-exclusive platform and showcases the next-generation Acura design direction.

Five of the six models in the Acura lineup are made exclusively in central Ohio1, including the ILX and TLX luxury sports sedans (Marysville Auto Plant), the RDX and MDX luxury SUVs (East Liberty Auto Plant) and the Acura NSX supercar, which is built to order at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio.

For More Information

Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles. Consumer information is available at http://www.acura.com. Follow Acura on social media at https://acura.us/SocialChannels.

About Acura

Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, representing the original values of the Acura brand – a commitment to evocative styling, high performance and innovative engineering, all built on a foundation of quality and reliability.

The Acura lineup features six distinctive models – the RLX premium, luxury sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV and the next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.

Five of the six models in the Acura lineup are made exclusively in central Ohio using domestic and globally sourced parts, including the ILX and TLX luxury sports sedans (Marysville Auto Plant), the RDX and MDX luxury SUVs (East Liberty Auto Plant) and the Acura NSX supercar, which is built to order at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio.

1 Manufactured in America using domestic and globally sourced parts

Production of All-New 2019 Acura RDX Begins at East Liberty Auto Plant

 

Production of All-New 2019 Acura RDX Begins at East Liberty Auto Plant

 

The third generation RDX is the quickest, best-handling RDX ever, with top-class cabin and cargo space, and a host of groundbreaking new Acura technologies.

 

Acura Logo.

 

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtmN1ykb0ag 
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/691442/Production_front.jpg 
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/691443/Production_side.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/691451/RDX19.jpg

 

 

SOURCE Acura

CRC GDI IVD® Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner Technology is Published with United States Patent and Trademark Office

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HORSHAM, Pa., May 15, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — CRC Industries, Inc., manufacturer of industry-leading specialty chemicals for automotive technicians and do-it yourselfers, developed its revolutionary CRC GDI IVD® Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner as the very first aerosol product to clean gasoline direct injection (GDI) intake valves when applied through the engine’s air intake or throttle body and delivered directly to the backs of the GDI intake valves.

At the time the innovative scientists at CRC Industries designed GDI IVD® Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner, CRC believed it to be so inventive that CRC applied for a United States Patent on the technology. 

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has now published the GDI IVD® technology as: US Patent Publication No. 2017/0248075 A1 entitled “Systems for the Reduction or Elimination of Intake Valve Deposits in Gasoline Direct Inject Engines and Related Methods.” It may be viewed at the USPTO’s website at:  www.USPTO.gov/patent .

Prior to the introduction of CRC GDI IVD® Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner, removing carbon buildup from GDI intake valves had been difficult and costly for both automotive service shops and vehicle owners. Solutions such as walnut-shell blasting and manual valve cleaning required an engine teardown to access the valves. The new product from CRC was formulated to dissolve damaging carbon deposits from intake valves of all gasoline-powered vehicles, particularly GDI engines, where carbon buildup on intake valves is a significant issue. “Excess carbon deposits on intake valves cause power loss, poor fuel economy and a host of other performance problems in GDI vehicles,” said Jim Johnson, CRC vice president of Research and Development.

“CRC chemists discovered that the chemical Polyether Amine (PEA), when applied in strong concentration and under the right conditions, can effectively clean hardened carbon deposits from GDI valves and other engine surfaces without blasting, brushing, or any teardown required,” explained Johnson. CRC GDI IVD® Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner contains the highest concentration of PEA available on the market to provide the fastest, most thorough chemical cleaning available. A single application has been proven to remove up to 46 percent of carbon deposits in the first 60 minutes.

CRC has conducted extensive product testing to validate the efficacy of CRC GDI IVD® Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner, confirming that the product:

  • Removes 46 percent of hard-carbon deposits from intake valves after the first hour of use
  • Continues to clean even one week after application
  • Regains 13.5 horsepower after application
  • Increases up to 4.9 ft.-lbs. of torque
  • Removes 65 percent of carbon from combustion chambers after first hour of use
  • Cleans up to 98 percent of carbon from piston tops
  • Removes up to 85 percent of carbon from cylinder heads.

Detailed test results may be viewed at http://crcgdi.com

About CRC: 
CRC Industries is a global leader in the production of specialty chemicals used by MRO and installer professionals and the do-it-yourself (DIY) consumer.  CRC serves a variety of markets, including industrial, automotive, heavy duty truck, marine, electrical, hardware, and aviation.  CRC operates worldwide in the regions of the Americas, EMEIA, and Asia Pacific, with 6 manufacturing sites and 14 distribution points, and is sold in over 120 countries.

CRC trademarked brands include: CRC®, K&W®, Sta-Lube®, SmartWasher®, Marykate®, Weld-Aid®, Ambersil®, KF®, Kontakt Chemie®, Ados®, Action Can® and Kitten®.

For more information about CRC Industries, visit www.crcindustries.com.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/691219/CRC_Logo.jpg   

SOURCE CRC Industries, Inc.