City of Hope sets new goal for type 1 diabetes cure

January 16, 2017

DUARTE, Calif., Jan. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — A cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) in six years is the new goal of City of Hope’s Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, fueled by a $50 million funding program led by the Wanek family.

City of Hope, which has a long and groundbreaking history in diabetes, was the first to engineer synthetic human insulin by Arthur D. Riggs, Ph.D., in 1978, which is still used today by many of the estimated 1.5 million Americans with type 1 diabetes, (T1D) and 27 million with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Funding for this transformative research is being led by a gift from the Wanek family, which owns Ashley Furniture Industries, the world’s largest home furniture manufacturer. Through the generosity of the family and gifts from an anonymous donor, individuals and corporate and foundation partners across the country, City of Hope will be able to devote more than $50 million over the next six years to an innovative research effort, the Wanek Family Project for Type 1 Diabetes, that seeks to find a cure for T1D. Research results may also benefit the larger T2D population.

The project will create a series of highly-focused programs based at City of Hope that will use an integrated approach to curing T1D, including immunotherapy approaches, as well as research into beta cell transplantation and preventing the body from rejecting those insulin secreting cells.

“City of Hope is best positioned to take on this challenge,” said Robert W. Stone, president and chief executive officer of City of Hope. “This is thanks to our 40-year institutional legacy of pioneering treatment and research advances in diabetes.

“City of Hope is extremely grateful for the Wanek family’s significant gift that will enable the institution to forward type 1 diabetes research, the results of which will have worldwide impact. We invite others to join the Wanek family and City of Hope as we continue to move even closer to a cure for type 1 diabetes.”

“City of Hope scientists’ research has revolutionized the understanding and treatment of diabetes,” said Todd Wanek, chief executive officer of Ashley Furniture, speaking on behalf of his family. “It continues today as physicians and scientists gain systemic understanding of diabetes as a complex, multifaceted disease.”

“Our family is extremely confident that City of Hope is the institution that will find a cure for the more than one million Americans who battle type 1 diabetes disease every day,” Wanek said.

The City of Hope goal to cure T1D will focus on three core areas that are crucial in treating both types of diabetes:

Immune modulation – Research is already underway at City of Hope to unlock the immune system’s role in diabetes, including T cell modulation and stem-cell based therapies that may reverse the auto-immune attack on islet cells in the pancreas, which is the cause of T1D. City of Hope’s Bart Roep, Ph.D., previously worked at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands, where he was instrumental in launching a Phase 1 clinical trial for a vaccine that aims to spur the immune system to fight, and possibly cure, T1D. Plans are developing for a larger, phase 2 trial to launch in the future at City of Hope.
Beta cell expansion and replacement – Type 1 and type 2 diabetes both develop due to the dysfunction and demise of insulin secreting beta cells. Researchers will work to improve methods of boosting and replacing beta cells, as well as imaging them, to encourage long-term survival, said Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Clinical Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism; Chair, Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics; Director, Islet Cell Transplant Program and Associate Director, Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute. The Wanek Family Project studies will derive new innovations to correct the beta cell dysfunction in diabetes.
Preventing diabetes complications – Both T1D and T2D are associated with similar complications such as accelerated heart, kidney, neural and eye diseases that greatly increase morbidity and mortality rates. Scientists will work on intervening at the genetic level to reverse complications and seeking ways to predict the development of complications in order to prevent them from occurring.

Distinguished City of Hope diabetes research faculty who will lead these efforts include:
Bart Roep, Ph.D., Chan Soon-Shiong Shapiro Distinguished Chair in Diabetes and Professor and founding Chair, Department of Diabetes Immunology, will lead the Wanek Family Project; Arthur D. Riggs, Ph.D., Samuel Rahbar Chair in Diabetes & Drug Discovery; Director, Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute and Director Emeritus, Beckman Research Institute; Fouad Kandeel; Rama Natarajan, Ph.D., National Business Products Industry Professor in Diabetes Research; Professor and Chair, Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism and Member, Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cancer Program; Debbie C. Thurmond, Ph.D., Ruth B. and Robert K. Lanman Professor and founding Chair, Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology; and Defu Zeng, M.D., Professor, Department of Diabetes Immunology; and Professor, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as one of only 47 comprehensive cancer centers, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the world. City of Hope is located in Duarte, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, with community clinics throughout Southern California. It is ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation, diabetes and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs based on technology developed at the institution. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

CONTACT
Letisia Marquez
626-218-3398
[email protected]

Logo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/457770/City_of_Hope_Logo.jpg

Jose Miguel Sokoloff, Who Brought Peace to Colombia Through Advertising, Joins ARF Annual Conference Keynote Line-up

January 16, 2017

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Jose Miguel Sokoloff, an award-winning creative who leads one of the most renown Latin American agencies, will be a keynote speaker at The Advertising Research Foundation’s (The ARF) Annual Conference, held March 20-21, 2017, in New York City.

Jose Miguel is the President of MullenLowe Group’s Creative Council, Co-Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of MullenLowe SSP3 in Colombia. He has been inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame and his agency was a triple Cannes Grand Prix Winner in 2011 for a campaign with the Colombian Ministry of Defense.

The Colombian Government gave him a daunting task: launch a campaign to end the country’s 52-year war by using an effective communication and advertising strategy. The goal was to persuade guerillas to lay down their arms and leave the jungle without firing a shot. By understanding the guerillas on a human level, Jose Miguel uncovered a unique insight. This inspired their campaign, “Operation Christmas” where Christmas lights were placed on trees in the jungle of the guerilla’s territory. The effect was a powerful one: it truly touched the guerillas’ hearts and 300 demobilized. Since then, subsequent campaigns have been deployed and over 14,000 guerillas have been demobilized.

The identification of key insights led to the realization of Jose Miguel’s successful strategy and campaign. The ARF recognizes the importance of insights, which is reflected in this year’s Annual Conference theme: “Unlocking Advertising Insights.” The event will showcase industry-winning case studies and original research as well groundbreaking insights to develop great creative. The conference has attracted a unique and diversified community of advertising practitioners for over 60 years: advertisers, agencies, solution providers, ad tech, and media companies.

“We are so honored to have Jose Miguel Sokoloff as our closing keynote,” said Rachael Feigenbaum, SVP, Events Program Producer from The ARF, “he exemplifies how the sheer potency of creative advertising can change minds by appealing to humanity.”

About The ARF:
The ARF is the only organization that creates and curates objective, original research through education, events, and networking for advertising practitioners. By providing leading-edge solutions and anticipating the industry’s challenges, we are trusted by over 400 member companies from leading brands, agencies, research firms, media, and tech. Our unique network enables us to generate relevant insights, provide a platform for members to share findings, empower members to make impactful marketing decisions, and challenge convention. We help our members be smarter faster and support them in being fearless leaders in their organization and in the future.

Media Contact:
Touseef Mirza
The Advertising Research Foundation
432 Park Avenue South, 4^th floor, New York, NY 10016
646-465-5741
[email protected]

Multi-Platinum Recording Artist NE-YO to Perform at the 2017 Honda Battle of the Bands

January 16, 2017

TORRANCE, California, Jan. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter NE-YO will rock the stage at the Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase on January 28, 2017 in Atlanta, in celebration of the program’s 15^th anniversary. NE-YO will join eight of the nation’s top marching bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as they take the field at the Georgia Dome to perform one last time before the historic Atlanta stadium closes.

NE-YO to perform at Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase on Jan. 28.

“I can’t wait to perform along with these talented student musicians,” said NE-YO. “It’s a privilege to be a part of this celebration of the HBCU community and culture, and I look forward to giving the fans a great show.”

“NE-YO is a great addition to the HBOB lineup,” said Alexandra Warnier, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility for Honda. “We’re excited to welcome him to the HBOB stage and know the audience will be thrilled by NE-YO’s special performance.”

The 2017 HBOB lineup features Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Alcorn State University, Benedict College, Bethune-Cookman University, North Carolina A&T State University, Texas Southern University and Winston-Salem State University. The Final 8 bands were selected through a process that included online fan voting, as well as feedback from band directors, HBCU school presidents and Honda representatives. Each of the eight HBCUs will receive a $20,000 grant from Honda in support of their music education programs.

Fans can follow each band’s journey on the official Honda Battle of the Bands social media channels and join the conversation using #HBOB.

Facebook – Facebook.com/HondaBattleoftheBands
Twitter – @The_Honda / Twitter.com/The_Honda
Instagram – @the_honda / Instagram.com/the_honda
YouTube – 2016 Invitational Showcase Highlights

Group and individual tickets to the Invitational Showcase are available for purchase on the official HBOB website, starting at only $10. For more information on the 2017 Honda Battle of the Bands and the HBCU Power of Dreams Award, visit HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

About Honda

Honda seeks to be a company that society wants to exist, creating products and technologies that improve the lives of people while minimizing the environmental impacts of its products and business operations to ensure a sustainable future. Honda also is committed to making positive contributions to the communities where it does business, to socially responsible business practices and to the promotion of diversity in its workforce. From Honda’s involvement in STEM education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to its support of pediatric brain tumor research and volunteer efforts by Honda associates – including environmental clean-up activities – Honda believes in giving back to the communities where its associates live and work. Learn more at csr.honda.com.

Photo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/457511/BlueSuit_NeYo.jpg
Logo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95602/honda_logo.jpg

National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers and IHS Markit Redefine the Power of Multicultural Automotive Buyers with the Second Annual Diversity Volume Leadership Awards

January 15, 2017

LARGO, Maryland, Jan. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Second Annual Diversity Volume Leadership Awards (DVL Awards) ceremony showed the tremendous impact that ethnic car buyers have on the economy and brought awareness to the lack of diversity that still remains present in the automotive industry.

Photo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/457542/NAMAD_Honda_Accord.jpg

“Some 30% of new vehicle purchases are made by multicultural consumers but only 6% of dealerships are minority owned,” said National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) President, Damon Lester. “That means 18,000 dealerships exist in the USA and just 1,100 are minority owned.”

With ethnic car buyers growing at rapid rates, the dealer body is still lacking accurate representation from minorities. NAMAD and IHS Markit partnered to celebrate brands that are driving sales leadership with ethnic consumers while also addressing and educating the industry about the necessity of dealer ownership increasing to reflect a diverse population during the DVL Awards on January 8, 2017 at Cobo Center. The private awards ceremony was hosted by Kellie Aponte and brought together scores of top automotive industry executives.

Winners of the prestigious DVL Awards demonstrated the highest new vehicle registrations with ethnic, women, and millennial consumers. This year’s awards were based on an analysis of more than 13 million personal new vehicle registrations from IHS Markit.

“The Diversity Volume Leadership Awards were designed to educate the entire auto industry including manufacturers, dealers, suppliers and automotive media,” said Marc Bland, vice-president of Diversity and Inclusion, IHS Markit.

This year, NAMAD and IHS Markit honored American Honda with the “Top Overall Ethnic Vehicle” DVL Award. “Top Overall Ethnic Vehicle” is the most sought-after Diversity Volume Leadership honor for automotive brands dedicated to driving sales leadership with Asian, Native American, Hispanic and African American car buyers.

NAMAD and IHS Markit also presented awards for leadership in the following categories: Ethnic Volume Leaders by IHS Markit Regions, Volume Leaders – Millennials and Women, and Volume Leaders by Ethnic Consumer Group.

The best automotive brands that have dedicated marketing resources to ethnic consumers and are focused on capitalizing on the rapid growth of the industry were in attendance to collect their awards. Overall, GM and its brands received five (5) DVL Awards, Honda-seven (7) DVL Awards, Toyota/Lexus-seven (7) DVL Awards, Ford-three (3) DVL Awards, Nissan-three (3) DVL Awards, and FCA-one (1) DVL Award. It is important to note that several of the nominees that did not receive awards were still extremely competitive contenders. Those who did not receive an award now have the insight and motivation to develop an improved strategy for 2017 and beyond.

Winners of the 2017 Diversity Volume Leadership Awards are as follows:

Ethnic Volume Leaders by IHS Markit Regions
Great Lakes Region	Chevrolet Malibu
Mideast Region	Honda Accord
New England Region	Toyota RAV4
Plains Region	Ford F-Series
Rocky Mountain Region	Ford F-Series
Southeast Region	Toyota Corolla
Southwest Region	Ford F-Series
Western Region	Honda Civic

Volume Leaders â€” Millennials and Women
Top Women’s Vehicle	Honda CR-V
Top Women’s Luxury Vehicle	Lexus RX
Top Ethnic Millennial Vehicle	Honda Civic

Volume Leaders by Consumer Group
Top Vehicle â€” African American	Nissan Altima
Top Vehicle â€” Hispanic American	Toyota Corolla
Top Vehicle â€” Asian-Pacific Islander	Honda Accord
Top Vehicle â€” Native American	Chevrolet Silverado
Top Luxury Vehicle â€” African American	Buick Encore
Top Luxury Vehicle â€” Hispanic	Lexus IS
Top Luxury Vehicle â€” Asian-Pacific Islander	Lexus RX
Top Luxury Vehicle â€” Native American	Buick Verano

African American Volume Growth Leader	Nissan Rogue
Hispanic Volume Growth Leader	Nissan Rogue
Asian-Pacific Islander Volume Growth Leader	Lexus NX
Native American Volume Growth Leader	Chevrolet Colorado
Women Volume Growth Leader	Honda HR-V
Millennial Volume Growth Leader	Jeep Renegade
Top Overall Ethnic Vehicle (Luxury or Non-Luxury)	Honda Accord

Connect with DVL Awards:
Hashtag: #DVLawards and #DVLawards2017
Website: www.namad.org
Twitter: twitter.com/NAMAD_USA
Facebook: facebook.com/NAMAD_USA-468806139894019

SPONSORS

The Diversity Volume Leadership Awards would not be possible without the generous sponsorship from the following organizations:

Ford Motor Company	American Honda	Black Enterprise
General Motors	Fiat Chrysler Automobiles	Latino Magazine
Nissan North America	Hyundai Motor Company	NNPA
Toyota Motor Sales	Kia Motors America	NAHP
Volkswagen Group of America	Mercedes-Benz, LLC	Real Times Media
	IHS Markit

About The National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers

The National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers’ (NAMAD) objective is to pursue the meaningful presence and participation of minority businesses and diverse employees across all aspects of the automotive economic sector, including:

Increasing the number of minority-owned dealerships in communities across America
Advocating workplace and supplier diversity in the automotive manufacturing environment
Supporting minority engagement in the automotive retail sales and service sectors

We are committed to developing strategic relationships and advocating for the advancement of business policies and practices that ensure diversity and economic parity remain a priority in all aspects of the American automotive industry.

NAMAD is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. For information on National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers visit: www.namad.org

About IHS Markit (www.ihsmarkit.com)

IHS Markit is the automotive industry’s leading source for market-wide insight, expertise and advanced planning solutions. With a reputation of enabling better decisions and better results for nearly a century, the world’s leading OEMs, suppliers and their transportation partners rely on IHS Markit to power growth, improve efficiency and drive a sustainable competitive advantage.

Automotive offerings and expertise at IHS Markit span every major market and, the entire automotive value chain — from product planning to marketing, sales and the aftermarket. Headquartered in London, our automotive team is part of IHS Markit’s information and analytics powerhouse that includes more than 15,000 colleagues in 150 countries, covering energy, chemical, aerospace and defense, maritime, financial, technology, media and telecommunications. For additional information, please visit www.ihsmarkit.com or email [email protected].

The special 10th anniversary edition of Calibash at Staples Center on January 21 is SOLD OUT

January 13, 2017

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS) (NASDAQ: SBSA), the favorite station of millennial Latinos in Los Angeles, Mega 96.3FM announced that tickets for the special 10th anniversary edition of CALIBASH are quickly selling out. The concert features performances by Don Omar, Prince Royce, Nicky Jam, Wisin, Farruko, Zion & Lennox, Ozuna, J Alvarez, Gente de Zona, CNCO, De La Ghetto, Alex Sensation, and Karol G. Line-up subject to change. CALIBASH 2017 presented by LaMusica and Mega 96.3FM and; produced in association with AEG Live, will take place on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Only a few limited-view tickets are available for purchase online: http://www.axs.com/events/328441/calibash-2017-tickets/promos/104168

This year, the fun, free family event CALIBASH Pre-Festival returns bigger and better than previous years to a new location closer to STAPLES Center doors. Due to its popularity, the event has moved to PETREE HALL at the Los Angeles Convention Center, just steps away from the entrance of STAPLES Center. The event takes place prior to CALIBASH 2017 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (PST) and it features music performances, product sampling, games and more fun activities.

The stage will feature performances by Karol G., Kevin Roldan, Sebastian Yatra, Thomas The Latin Boy, Natti Natasha and ATL Garza. Mega 96.3FM will broadcast live from the event, offering many surprises including the last chance to win tickets to the sold out CALIBASH 2017. The free afternoon event is open for guests of all ages.

“The SBS Los Angeles family and especially Mega 96.3FM are very proud of co-presenting our signature event of the year. CALIBASH celebrates 10 years of bringing the millennial youth of Los Angeles performances from the artists they love. Expanding the celebration to the CALIBASH Pre-Fest, a free event for the whole family, is our way to say thanks to the community for making Mega 96.3FM the preferred radio station of the Los Angeles youth,” said Chris Carrillo, Vice President and General Manager, SBS Los Angeles.

Attendees of the CALIBASH Pre-Festival are encouraged to use METRO for transportation. Several parking lots are also available for a fee. Only a few limited-view tickets are available for purchase online.

Join the conversation on social media using #CalibashLA. Follow CALIBASH 2017 online and on social media for up to the minute announcements about this year’s concert, artist line-up and other exclusive news and fan opportunities:

AEG Live Latino
Instagram http://instagram.com/aeglivelatino
Facebook http://facebook.com/aeglivelatino
Twitter http://twitter.com/aeglivelatino

Mega96.3FM
Facebook: www.facebook.com/la963fm
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mega963fm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mega963fm

About Spanish Broadcasting System
Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. is a leading Hispanic media company that owns and operates 17 radio stations located in the top U.S. Hispanic markets of New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Puerto Rico, airing the Spanish Tropical, Regional Mexican, Spanish Adult Contemporary, Top 40 and Latin Rhythmic format genres. SBS also operates AIRE Radio Networks, a national radio platform which creates, distributes and markets leading Spanish-language radio programming to over 100 affiliated stations reaching 93% of the U.S. Hispanic audience. SBS also owns MegaTV, a television operation with over-the-air, cable and satellite distribution and affiliates throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. SBS also produces live concerts and events and owns multiple bilingual websites, including www.LaMusica.com, an online destination and mobile app providing content related to Latin music, entertainment, news and culture. For more information, visit us online at www.spanishbroadcasting.com.

About AEG Live
AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance. AEG Live is comprised of touring, festival, broadcast, merchandise and special event divisions, fifteen regional offices and owns, operates or exclusively books thirty-five state-of-the-art venues. The current and recent concert tour roster includes artists such as Alicia Keys, American Idols, Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Kenny Chesney, Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, The WHO, Trey Songz and Juanes. The company is also currently producing residency shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas including Celine Dion, Rod Stewart and Shania Twain and is the exclusive promoter at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. AEG Live is also the largest producer of music festivals in North America from the critically acclaimed Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival to Stagecoach Country Music Festival and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. www.aeglive.com

FOR INTERVIEWS, PRESS CREDENTIALS AND OTHER MEDIA INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT:
Vladimir Gómez
Director of Communications & National Promotions
[email protected]
(786) 470-1644

Pepe Xicohtencatl
[email protected]

Daniel Morales
[email protected]

Photo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/457514/CALIBASH_2017_Infographic.jpg
Photo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/457515/CALIBASH_Infographic.jpg

HITN, Brooklyn Navy Yard Host Annual Coat Drive

January 13, 2017

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Jan. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — HITN, the Spanish-language media company that delivers educational programming to more than 42 million homes nationwide has again partnered with New York Cares to host its second annual coat drive. Over the last 25 years, New York Cares has donated approximately 1.6 million coats to New Yorkers in need. And with temperatures already reaching 20 degrees, HITN recruited the Brooklyn Navy Yard (BNY) and local businesses within the navy yard in order to help New York Cares reach its goal of collecting 200,000 coats.

“We are very happy that we were able to provide coats for many of our fellow New Yorkers who need them. It is extremely comforting to know that we have helped prepare those in need to weather the cold during the upcoming months,” said Valerie D. White, Vice President External Affairs, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation.

In addition to the BNY, two other important contributors to the coat drive were Duggal, a leading supplier of printing and graphic display services and New Lab, a community of hardware-centric designers and engineers working on emerging technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

“So many of our New Yorkers need help. We often store coats in our closets that we know we won’t ever use again and what better way than donating it to someone who will appreciate it,” says Heather Griffin, Director of Marketing for Duggal.

“New Lab is proud to be part of this strong Brooklyn Navy Yard community, and by coming together to help the New York Cares Coat Drive initiative for the greater community of which we’re all a part of is very important to us,” says Meetra Javid, Member Agent of New Lab.

“I’m thrilled we collected a record-breaking number of coats this holiday season. This can only be attributed to our collaboration with the Brooklyn Navy Yard and our neighbors within the navy yard,” says Mike Nieves, CEO of HITN. “In this season of giving, we must aim to continue helping our fellow New Yorkers and we look forward to recruiting more partners next year in order to double the number of coats we collect.”

HITN is the first non-commercial, Spanish-language media company delivering educational programming to more than 42 million homes nationwide on satellite and cable focusing on health, financial literacy, and education, with a mission to advance the educational, socioeconomic and cultural aspirations of Hispanics who live in the United States. For more information, log in to www.hitn.org.

Logo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/344200/hitn_logolarge_for_tv_logo_Logo.jpg

Passport Index launches new update

January 13, 2017

MONTREAL, Jan. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Passport Index, the real-time global ranking of the world’s passports has announced a new update to its celebrated web service.

Photo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/457211/Arton_Capital_Passport_Index_launches_new_update.jpg

Germany takes the lead with a visa-free score of 157. Singapore overtakes South Korea and becomes the highest ranked Asian passport, with a visa free score of 156, coming second. South Korea fell to 6^th place (152), while Japan, rose to 4^th place, tied with European countries like Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and others whose visa-free score is 154. Visa-free score represents the number of countries a passport holder can visit visa-free or with visa on arrival.

In addition to the popular mosaic of passports, visitors of PassportIndex.org can now see the overall changes to the ranking of countries in 2016. Marshall Islands is on top of the winners’ list by adding 35 countries to its visa-free score. Palau, Micronesia, follow with 34 additional countries, while Solomon Islands and Tuvalu added 33. Peru is the biggest winner in South America with additional 31 countries.

The newly added World Openness Score (WOS) tracks the progression of freedom of mobility across the globe. The world openness score in 2016 was 17,925. In the few days of 2017, the score has already increased to 17,948. This trend shows opening of borders but will it continue? With the recent backlash on globalisation, the World Openness Score may be in danger of decline.

Comparing passports has never been easier with the streamlined comparison tables and powerful filters which allow you to focus on the countries you need.

The newly added Improve function on the other hand allows you to quickly see the potential of combining two passports together. Fans can add one or more passports to their current travel document with the goal to improve their Global Mobility Score (GMS). For example, a Lebanese citizen has a GMS of 38. However, by adding a passport of Saint Lucia, their Global Mobility Score increases drastically to 123, which would represent the possibility of visa-free travel to over 61% of the countries we examine. For many people, this is priceless.

According to John Hanafin, CEO of Arton Capital, “The desire to improve one’s opportunity and security for their family transcends borders. As such, having a second citizenship has never been more relevant.”

In recent years, citizenship by investment has become a US$2B industry, with over 20,000 investors seeking a second residency or citizenship around the globe very year.

New Top 10 Passport Power Ranking:

157 – Germany
156 – Singapore, Sweden
155 – Denmark, Finland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Norway, UK, USA
154 – Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal, Japan
153 – Malaysia, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand
152 – Greece, South Korea, Australia
151 – Czech Republic, Iceland
150 – Hungary
149 – Malta, Poland
148 – Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia

New Top 10 Individual Passport Power Ranking:

Germany
Singapore
Sweden
Denmark
Finland
France
Spain
Switzerland
Norway
United Kingdom

Media Enquiries: John Hanafin, CEO, Arton Capital – Empowering Global Citizenship®
E [email protected] T (Montreal) +1 514 935 6665 T (Dubai) +971 4 456 9220

Arendal Announces Extension of Expiration Date of Exchange Offer

January 13, 2017

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Arendal, S. de R.L. de C.V. (“Arendal” or “the Company”), a Mexican engineering, procurement and construction company, today announced that it has extended the expiration date of its pending exchange offer (the “Exchange Offer”) for any and all of its outstanding 10.50% Medium-Term Notes due 2016 (the “Old Notes”) for its 11.5% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 (the “New Notes”).

The Company is extending the expiration date of the Exchange Offer from 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on January 12, 2017 to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on January 20, 2017.

Epiq Corporate Restructuring, the information and exchange agent for the Exchange Offer (the “Information and Exchange Agent”) has advised the Company that as of 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on January 12, 2017, 96.69% of Old Notes had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

Once any Old Note has been tendered, it may not be withdrawn, subject to applicable law and the terms and conditions described in the Information Memorandum dated December 14, 2016 (the “Information Memorandum”), copies of which may be obtained by eligible holders of the Old Notes (pursuant to an Eligibility Letter) by contacting the Information and Exchange Agent via email at [email protected] (please reference “Arendal” in the subject line).

This press release is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The Exchange Offer is being made and the New Notes are being offered only to “qualified institutional buyers,” holders that are not “U.S. persons” and certain institutional investors that are “accredited investors” as such terms are defined under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The New Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or under any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and, accordingly, are subject to significant restrictions on transfer and resale as more fully described in the Information Memorandum. The Exchange Offer is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Information Memorandum.

About Arendal

Arendal is a procurement and construction company operating in Mexico. Arendal provides a full range of procurement and construction services, including feasibility studies, acquisition of rights of way, conceptual design, engineering, procurement, project and construction management, construction, maintenance, technical site evaluations and other consulting services.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding the future events or the future financial performance of Arendal. These statements reflect management’s current views with respect to future events or financial performance, and are based on management’s current assumptions and information currently available and are not guarantees of the Company’s future performance. The timing of certain events and actual results could differ materially from those projected or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors including, but not limited to those inherent to operating in a highly regulated industry, strong competition, commercial and financial execution and economic conditions, among others.

For additional information please contact:
Gerardo Marcelo Villareal Lozano
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +52-81-8133-4831 ext. 261

OneUnited Bank Partners With African American Film Critics Association & BMe Community To Launch The #BankBlack Financial Literacy Video Series

January 13, 2017

BOSTON, Jan. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — OneUnited Bank, the largest Black owned bank in America, has partnered with the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and BMe Community (BMe) to bring a powerful series of financial literacy videos to Black America that will underscore the importance of financial literacy, buying Black, banking Black and the genius of collective economics. Topics will include the importance of saving for the future, how to power up your credit score, millennials and money, banking based on your values and how the #BankBlack and #BuyBlack movement can create jobs and support community development.

The series will launch on Facebook, YouTube and OneUnited Bank’s website on January 13, 2017 at 9:00am EST.

OneUnited Bank’s commitment to the #BankBlack Movement is demonstrated in its partnership with AAFCA, an annual premium awards show produced by the leading Black film critics in the world. Considered “The Black Oscars“, this uber elite event is attended by top ranked studio executives, producers, directors and boasts plenty of star power with the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Alfre Woodard, Viola Davis, Forest Whitaker, Jamie Foxx and other luminaries. AAFCA and its newly formed sister company AAFCA Productions are widely respected for the style and integrity they bring to its projects, and will be responsible for content and production of the #BankBlack video series.

“We are thrilled to launch AAFCA Production Services with a strong partner with similar values,” says AAFCA co-founder and president Gil Robertson. “Our work with OneUnited Bank will provide a great example of the multi-tiered services we provide for companies looking to craft messages that merge celebrity with subjects and themes that impact the community.”

In August 2016, OneUnited Bank began its partnership with BMe Community, the national, award-winning social network of inspired Black men working to build community health and wealth in cities across America. Both organizations place strong emphasis on the importance of empowering the Black community through initiatives that focus on economics, community development, entrepreneurship and technology. BMe is led by Trabian Shorters, CEO and backed by private donations and leading philanthropies including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Campaign for Black Male Achievement, The Heinz Endowments, and The William R. Keenan Jr. Charitable Trust. BMe Community and OneUnited Bank serve as consultants to AAFCA on the content of the video series.

“At OneUnited Bank, we began with the understanding that traditional ways of teaching financial literacy to under-served communities are not effective and we needed to do something more creative,” says Teri Williams, President & Chief Operating Officer of OneUnited Bank. “Our partnership with AAFCA and BMe Community allows us to think outside of the traditional banking box to educate consumers, especially Black millennials, on the importance of being financially literate and using their collective spending power purposefully.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Suzan McDowell, Circle of One Marketing, [email protected] or 305-576-3790.

ONEUNITED BANK:
OneUnited Bank is the premier bank for urban communities, the largest Black-owned bank, the first Black internet bank and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Its mission is to provide affordable financial services to support economic development in urban communities and maintain superior financial performance to maximize shareholder value. OneUnited is an FDIC insured bank and an equal housing lender.

African American Film Critics Association
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is a group of Black professional film critics that give various awards for excellence in film at the end of each year. Founded in 2003 the organization actively reviews cinema overall, but highlights films about the African-American experience. AAFCA produces awareness for films with widespread appeal to the Black community while stressing the importance of films produced, written, directed and starring people of African descent. Members also involve themselves in advocacy work for students interested in film journalism and critics.

BMe Community
BMe Community is a movement inspired by Black men to build a more caring and prosperous America together. BMe boldly cures hopelessness, openly defies helplessness, and creatively builds powerful networks of brothers and sisters of all races and genders. Since 2013 BMe’s 40,000 members have helped themselves and over 2-million others to improve their health, wealth, hope and communities. To join the network, log on to www.bmecommunity.org

Logo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/456863/OneUnited_Bank_Logo.jpg

GM Hosts Discover Your Drive Diversity Journalism Program at NAIAS

January 12, 2017

DETROIT, Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — General Motors launched its second annual Discover Your Drive diversity journalism program Jan. 7-11, hosting 13 college students and nine journalists from across the country at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show. Students from diverse backgrounds participated in the program, which promotes diversity in automotive journalism and news coverage.

Discover Your Drive began Saturday and concluded Wednesday with an awards presentation recognizing students for their work at NAIAS as well as their social media presence during a scavenger hunt through Detroit. Students used the new, award-winning all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EV, named 2017’s NAIAS Car of Year, and OnStar technology to find their way around the city. They posted about their adventures on Twitter tagging @GM_Diversity using the hashtag #DiscoverYourDrive.

“We were blown away by the talent and creativity of these fearless students,” says Leslie Gordon, senior manager, GM Diversity Communications. “Many of them had not been exposed to automotive journalism, had never been to Detroit or seen snow. But they brought with them the right amount of curiosity required to cover an event as massive and complex as the North American International Auto Show and they did so with grit and class.”

One student demonstrated that drive by chasing a face-to-face interview with GM President and CEO Mary Barra on the auto show floor. Another coaxed GM North America President Alan Batey into a video that won the program’s top prize: an all-expense paid trip to a national journalism conference.

Students Rushawn Walters and Nia Muhammad, both of Howard University, and Sarah Rahal, of Wayne State University, won the prize with “Jammin’ with GM,” a video story told through carpool karaoke, focusing on the all-new Chevrolet Cruze and technologies such as Apple Car Play, Android Auto, Teen Driver, Rear Seat Reminder and the car’s fuel economy.

“As an aspiring student journalist from Detroit, getting the opportunity to learn more about what’s in my backyard was a priceless gift,” said Rahal. “This program gave me a network of people that are proficient in the industry and the knowledge to use it in the field. Discover Your Drive allowed me to believe that automotive news is a possibility for my future.”

The students took part in a journalism workshop led by Ray Suarez, former host of NPR’s Talk of the Nation. They also heard a panel on the state of diversity in newsrooms. The panel, moderated by award-winning journalist Ed Gordon, featured fashion critic Michael Quintanilla, formerly of the Los Angeles Times and San Antonio Express News; political journalist Patricia Guadalupe, a contributing writer to NBC Latino; Walter Middlebrook, Detroit News assistant managing editor; and Salvador Rodriguez, Inc. magazine’s tech reporter.

Students attended news conferences and vehicle reveals, explored the auto show floor and interviewed auto experts. The professional journalists mentored the students and helped them produce news stories and presentations. The program ended with an awards ceremony at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

“As a diversity and business reporter, it’s really great to see GM put its money and weight behind discovering and helping young journalists of diverse backgrounds get started with their careers,” said Inc.’s Rodriguez, also a mentor.

Quintanilla, a returning mentor whose team won last year, says news organizations need to take note.

“This is the most original experience for college students that encourages them to consider automotive journalism while also promoting diversity in newsrooms,” he said. “By diverse, I mean not only diversity in one’s ethnicity but also in ideas and a promise from everyone involved to protect and uphold journalism’s existence and the profession’s commitment to tell accurate and honest stories.”

Download photos and video

About the students:

Nia Muhammad of Chicago is a sophomore in TV/film and electronic studio at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Sarah Rahal of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, is a journalism senior at Wayne State University in Detroit, a member of the honors Journalism Institute for Media Diversity program and managing editor of The South End, WSU’s student paper.
Rushawn Walters of Springfield, Massachusetts, is a journalism and theater arts senior at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and managing editor for its student newspaper, The Hilltop.
Dominique Sims is from San Francisco and is a mass media arts senior at Clark Atlanta University. She is the author of the award-winning blog Black Students Who Travel.
Ala’a Ibrahim of Houston is a multimedia journalism and business senior at University of Texas at Austin. She has interned at NBCUniversal and KXAN-TV and will soon be joining KUT & KUTX as a multimedia intern.
Oriol Brull comes from Barcelona, Spain, and is an advertising and public relations junior at the City College of New York in New York City. He has been a freelance automotive writer for a national Spanish magazine.
Gabi Wy of Newburgh, Indiana, is a sophomore at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville. She will be an intern at the Evansville Courier & Press in January and features editor for The Shield, her university’s student publication.
William Cornelius of Oklahoma City is a broadcast journalism junior at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. He shoots and edits long-form documentary and broadcast packages, does VOSOT (Voice Over/Sound on Tape) and writes for print and online publications.
Aaron Robert of Warren, Michigan, is an advertising and public relations sophomore at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. He leads content creation for GVSU’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter, writing and editing blogs and designing graphics.
Nguyen Le is a native of Vietnam and a recent graduate in print journalism at the University of Houston. He wrote for the student newspaper The Cougar and was a movie critic for Cooglife Magazine.
Jose Arredondo comes from San Antonio, Texas, where he is a junior at Texas A&M-San Antonio. He has written and photographed for the Big Stick, The Bugle Call, The Ranger and La Prensa newspapers and is currently an intern at Spectrum Sports News.
Dennis Lin is a native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He is a senior double majoring in communications/advertising with a sports management minor and sales concentration at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
Michael Incavo is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He is a journalism and public relations senior at Baylor University’s Journalism Public Relations and New Media department in Waco, Texas. He has worked for local NPR stations and produced syndicated reporting features airing across Texas radio stations.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

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