For Bilingual Hispanic Families, New College Search Tools Shine A Light On Financial Aid

June 13, 2016

ATLANTA, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — College Abacus, a free online tool that helps families easily comparison shop for affordable college options, today announced the release of two first-of-their-kind Spanish-language college search tools: College Ábaco, and its Pell Grant-specific partner tool, Pell Ábaco. These free online resources make it possible for bilingual Hispanic families to navigate the often complex financial aid process in Spanish, allowing them to calculate and compare their personalized financial aid estimates across 5,600 U.S. colleges in a fully translated format. Abigail Seldin, College Abacus co-founder and vice president of Innovation & Product Management at ECMC Group, unveiled the tools today at the sixth annual Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America meeting in Atlanta, GA.

Of the roughly 17.9 million Hispanic children in the U.S., many come from Spanish speaking families. In fact, the Pew Research Center reports that nearly three-in-four Hispanics over the age of five speak Spanish at home. College Ábaco and Pell Ábaco were designed to address the language barriers many bilingual families face when evaluating their college options, as well as the tuition “sticker shock” many first generation and minority students experience when considering higher education. In one recent survey of young Latinos who chose not to attend college, nearly three-quarters attributed their decision to financial concerns.

“Researching and understanding your college financial aid options is daunting for most people, but it can be especially overwhelming for first generation students and parents who are non-native English speakers,” said Seldin. “By launching College Ábaco and Pell Ábaco, we’re making it easier for the tens of millions of Spanish-speaking households in America to not only identify the best schools for their budgets, but navigate the college search process as a family unit.”

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 required all U.S. colleges to publish net price calculators on their websites – tools that allow families to calculate personalized tuition estimates after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the total. By allowing families to access the net price calculators of 5,600 U.S. colleges in one place, College Ábaco serves as a ‘Kayak.com’ for college costs, eliminating the need to click through multiple websites and continuously re-enter financial information while also translating that information into Spanish. For low-income Hispanic students likely to be eligible for federal Pell Grants, Pell Ábaco streamlines the process even further by asking just one financial question: “Are you eligible for free or reduced lunch?” A recent report by the Education Trust shows roughly half of Latino undergraduates use Pell Grants to pay for college.

“From meeting with thousands of Hispanic students and their families this year through ACT’s bilingual Parent Academies across the country, I’ve seen firsthand how urgently we need tools like College Abaco and Pell Abaco to educate them on college affordability,” said Juan Garcia, Senior Director for the Advancement of Underserved Learners at ACT. “These resources have the potential to be game changers in helping these families understand true college costs beyond sticker price, and make informed decisions about financing their future educational plans to ensure their upward mobility.”

College Ábaco and Pell Ábaco are the first consumer tools to launch with fully integrated Spanish language data from the Obama Administration’s College Scorecard, an initiative that Seldin and her team partnered with the White House and U.S. Department of Education on last fall. By pulling data from the College Scorecard API and translating it into Spanish, College Ábaco and Pell Ábaco package students’ individualized tuition estimates with school-specific data on a range of financial factors impacting college choice, such as average alumni earnings, percentage of students with federal loans and average monthly loan repayment rates.

After launching the tools at the 2016 CGI America meeting in Atlanta today, Seldin and her team will carry out the Commitment to Action by promoting awareness and adoption of College Ábaco and Pell Ábaco within the Hispanic community. In addition to ACT, Seldin announced support for the tools from partner organizations including the National College Access Network, Florida College Access Network, College Summit, ECMC Foundation and Latino U College Access.

About College Abacus
Hailed as one of CNN Money’s “Best New Money Ideas” of 2014, College Abacus is a one-stop, secure search site that helps families easily calculate and compare their personalized tuition estimates across roughly 5,600 colleges. Using net price calculators built by U.S. colleges as mandated by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the tool connects users with school net price calculators in real time. The projected cost of education generated on College Abacus mirrors the same net price estimates students would generate by visiting each school’s website individually. College Abacus results also include data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Offered as a free resource by nonprofit education entity ECMC Group, College Abacus is operated out of the Washington, DC based ECMC Innovation Lab. Click here for more information on Pell Abacus.

About Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America
Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America brings together leaders from the business, philanthropic, nonprofit, and government sectors to develop solutions that encourage economic growth, support long-term competitiveness, and increase social mobility in the United States. CGI America’s annual convening is designed to be a working meeting that promotes collaboration. Each CGI America participant makes a Commitment to Action: a new, specific, and measurable plan that supports increased economic growth and opportunity. To date, CGI America participants have made more than 500 commitments, which have improved the lives of nearly 2.4 million people.

About ACT
ACT is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. Headquartered in Iowa City, Iowa, ACT is trusted as the nation’s leader in college and career readiness, providing high-quality achievement assessments grounded in more than 50 years of research and experience. To increase participation and opportunity among underserved students, ACT provides free access to ACT Online Prep for students from low income families. ACT offers a uniquely integrated set of solutions that help people succeed from elementary school through career, providing insights that unlock potential. To learn more about ACT, go to www.act.org.

Twelve tips to keep your home electrically safe

June 13, 2016

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www.FPL.com . (PRNewsFoto/Florida Power & Light Company)

JUNO BEACH, Florida, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is raising awareness about electrical safety during June, which is designated as National Safety Month. The energy company is encouraging its customers to follow its top 12 tips to remain safe while using electricity.

“At FPL, we are committed to the safety of our customers, our employees and those working in the community,” said Manny Miranda, senior vice president of Power Delivery for FPL. “Energy is essential to any home or business, but can have dangerous implications if not handled properly. We encourage our customers and employees to always stay safe when working with electricity.”

FPL urges its customers to take the following precautions to stay safe:

Indoors:

1. Inspect your system – Have a licensed electrician inspect your home’s electrical system to ensure that it’s running properly and meets current electrical codes. Flickering lights, sparks, non-functioning outlets and tripping circuits may indicate a problem.

2. Check bulbs – Check bulbs to ensure they are screwed in securely and the correct wattage for the fixture. Replace bulbs that have higher wattage than recommended

3. Examine cords – Replace or throw away electrical items that have frayed or cracked electric cords. Cords should never be nailed or stapled to walls, baseboards or other objects.

4. Use extension cords properly – Extension cords can overheat and cause fires when used improperly. Do not overload extension cords or attempt to plug them into one another.

5. Only put electrical plugs into outlets – Teach children to never stick fingers or objects into electrical outlets or appliances with openings such as toasters. Cover or cap outlets you are not using to protect children.

6. Plug-in one high-wattage appliance at a time – Plug only one high-wattage appliance – such as a coffee maker, toaster, iron or space heater – into an outlet at a time to avoid overloading it.

7. Water and electricity don’t mix – Don’t place any electrical appliance near water, such as a sink or bathtub. Appliances that are used near water should be unplugged when not in use. If you have an appliance that has gotten wet, unplug it and don’t use it until it has been checked by a qualified repairperson. Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFIs) should be installed on outlets near water sources.

8. Before wiring, turn it off – Turn off the power at the breaker before working on electrical devices or wiring.

Outdoors:

9. Stay away from power lines – Keep yourself and anything you are touching more than 10 feet away from neighborhood power lines and at least 35 feet from larger high-voltage lines. This includes ladders, tools to pick fruit or trim trees, kites, metallic balloons and flying toys.

10. Report fallen power lines – Stay away from a power line that has fallen and anything it may be touching. Call 911 and FPL at 800-4OUTAGE (800-468-8243) immediately to report it.

11. Call 811 before digging – Call at least two full business days before doing any digging to have underground utilities marked. It’s free and it’s required by law.

12. Check before using tools outdoors – Are the electrical appliances and tools marked for outdoor use? Make sure they are and avoid using them close to water or in the rain.

Additional information is available at FPL.com/safety.

Florida Power & Light Company

Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving more than 4.8 million customer accounts or more than 10 million people across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2015, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the sixth year in a row. FPL’s service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company was recognized in 2015 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,800 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2016 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/FL62738LOGO

Latina Blogger Pioneer, Author & Entrepreneur Ana Flores to Speak at the First-Ever United State of Women Summit

June 13, 2016

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LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With a historic election on the horizon and recent headlines decrying leniency for violence against women, conversations surrounding gender equality have never been more critical. Latina blogger pioneer and CEO of Latina Bloggers Connect Ana Flores joins a powerful roster of experts, advocates, and grassroots and business leaders for the first ever United State of Women Summit taking place on June 14 at the White House. Developed by the Council on Women and Girls, together with the Department of State, the Department of Labor, the Aspen Institute and Civic Nation, the United State of Women will bring together advocates of gender equality to highlight the progress made, identify the challenges that remain, and chart the course for addressing them.

Ms. Flores, who has dedicated her career to empowering Hispanic America by providing outlets for growth in the digital space, will form part of a panel “Crosscutting-Revolutionizing Gender Norms,” moderated by Jess Weiner, CEO of Talk to Jess and taking place from 10:50 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. ET. She and fellow panelists Julianna Chugg, EVP, Chief Brand Officer, Mattel; Amy Poehler and Meredith Walker, founders of Smart Girls; Dr. Stacy Smith, Associate Professor of Communication and Head of the Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California; and Jamia Wilson, Executive Director, youth + tech + health (YTH) will discuss new research that brings to light disparities in media and product and brainstorm solutions for how businesses, organizations, and parents can help break down stereotypes that affect kids’ aspirations.

“As a mother, this strikes a passionate chord in me. I have spent the last ten years creating content and opportunities for Latina storytellers, who have been historically underrepresented in the media,” says Flores. “As parents, we can influence the next generation to help them learn and dream without limits and undo the long-lasting effects of machismo that still affects many Hispanic families.”

In 2009, Flores launched SpanglishBaby, the award-winning community and resource for parents raising bilingual and bicultural kids, to fill a vacuum for culturally-relevant family content. In 2010, Ana graduated from blogger to CEO by launching Latina Bloggers Connect, Inc, a boutique digital influencer marketing agency focused on creating strategic content that connects brands and social causes with Latina bloggers and creators. Today, LBC is the first and largest network of digital Latina influencers in the U.S. and features an annual conference #WeAllGrow Summit, the intimate go-to professional and experiential conference for Latinas in the digital space.

“Through the opportunities we provide, bloggers and creators in our network have empowered themselves to break their own family’s gender stereotype of la mujer en la casa (a woman’s place is at home) and calladita te ves más bonita (you look prettier with your mouth shut) by creating their own online space and community where their voice has a purpose and they can be economically empowered,” adds Flores. “I couldn’t be more honored to lend my voice to this powerful Summit.”

Cohosted by First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, the United Summit of Women also features conversations with cultural icons and leaders on women’s issues including Meryl Streep, Shonda Rhimes, Tina Fey, Laverne Cox, Tory Burch, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh,Dr. Jen Walter, Cecile Richards, Cecilia Muñoz, and Megan Smith, among others. In cooperation with the Ford Foundation, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, the PepsiCo Foundation, and the Tory Burch Foundation, the United State of Women Summit will be available via livestream on June 14 at www.theunitedstateofwomen.org.

About Ana Flores
Featured in Inc. Magazine, CNN en Español, PBS Parents, BabyCenter, Vme TV, NBC’s TodaysMoms, Babble and Parenting Magazine, Flores was recently named 2015 Innovator 25 by the prestigious Holmes Report as someone who is shaping what influence and engagement will look like in the future. She has presented at BlogHer, Mom 2.0 Summit, The Adelante Movement, Watermark, LATISM, Hispanicize, Digital Hollywood, BlogWorld Expo and on two occasions at the White House in 2016 speaking on breaking down gender stereotypes. Co-author of the book Bilingual is Better, Flores is a member of the United Nations Foundation’s Influence Project, serving as a Social Fellow, BlogHer 2016 Advisory Board, on NALIP‘s Diverse Women in Media Initiative Advisory Committee and Common Sense Media’s Latino Advisory Council. For a full bio, please click here.

Latin Iconos: Natalia Denegri Consolidates her Career in the United States with Different Movie and Television Projects

June 13, 2016

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MIAMI, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The actress and television host, Natalia Denegri, continues a year of successes with the debut of her new project, “Que todo el mundo se entere,” a documentary that was aired this Sunday by Mega TV in the United States.

This special, which captures the turmoil that Venezuela is going through right now, reunites Natalia Denegri with the Venezuelan host Nelson Bustamante, in a collaboration that already earned them an Emmy for the program “Doble exilio: 2da parte,” which aired in 2015.

Since her arrival in the United States, Natalia has positioned herself as a local star, and in a short period of time has become an exemplar in television. The mayor of Miami, Tomas Regalado, gave her the key to the city because of her altruistic and journalistic work, plus accolades for her support for foundations for children with autism. She also received a “Premio Carteles,” which is granted to the best of Miami’s radio and TV, thanks to her social and humanitarian journalism with the program “Corazones Guerreros.”

Denegri has had an impressive trajectory as an actress and host for more than 15 years in Argentina, Mexico and the United States. On the radio, she was nominated for the Faro de Oro in Mar del Plata. In Mexico, she participated in several fashion shows and was in commercials. She was also on the show “Otro Rollo,” with Adal Ramones. Later, she was on the program “Ángel o Demonio,” on channel TVA, a magazine with news, fashion, and interviews of politicians and celebrities. She was also on the show “Sólo Polo,” which was aired by Channel 13. She was invited to host the Movie Festival in Mexico with actor Gabriel Soto for two consecutive years. She was honored as an actress with the award “Actriz Revelación” in the first Muestra Internacional de Cine Independiente (MICI 2012) in Mexico. In 2015 she received the AIPE award for the magazine dedicated to “sassy” women.

She is about to film the movie UMA in Europe, with director Alain Maiki as the protagonist, with an international cast of actors that includes Argentines, Venezuelans, Italians and Spaniards. In the movie, Natalia brings Doctor Vega, a brilliant neurology specialist with an enigmatic personality, to life.

For interviews: Conchita Oliva- [email protected]

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160603/375216

Statement by Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC)/CONEL Regarding Terrorism Attack in Orlando June 12, 2016

June 13, 2016

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National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference logo

SACRAMENTO, California, June 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ —

“Today’s deplorable act of terrorism goes against everything we stand for as Americans and as Christians. Every life, deserves to be loved, cherished and respected. We mourn with the families of the victims and pray for those injured in Orlando. In addition, we call upon all Americans to come together for the purpose of building a firewall of love, grace, truth and respect against intolerance, hatred, bigotry and violence.”

NHCLC/CONEL is the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization. It serves as a representative voice for the more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals assembled in over 40,000 U.S. churches and another 500,000 congregations spread throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora. For additional information, visit http://www.nhclc.org.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120912/CL72800LOGO

CITGO Aruba and the Aruban Government Finalized Agreement to Re-open Refinery

June 11, 2016

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HOUSTON, June 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Yesterday, in Caracas, Venezuela, authorities from the governments of Aruba and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and officials from Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and CITGO Aruba, gathered to witness the execution of a commercial agreement between CITGO Aruba and the Aruban government that will reopen a 209,000 B/D refinery located in San Nicolas, Aruba. In attendance at the event were the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro; the Venezuelan Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Eulogio del Pino; the Prime Minister of Aruba, Mike Eman; the Aruban Minister of Economy, Communication, Energy and Environment, Mike de Meza; and the President and CEO of CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Nelson P. Martínez.

Following several months of negotiations, officials from the Aruban government and CITGO Aruba, announced plans to reactivate operations, which had been idled since 2012, through a refining facilities 15-year lease agreement, with a 10-year extension option. CITGO Aruba, a group of operating companies under PDV Holding (a PDVSA subsidiary), will operate the facility with CITGO Petroleum Corporation providing services to the group.

“This project will transform the refinery into an upgrader for Venezuelan extra-heavy crude within 18 months to two years. This process – which will require an investment ranging from $450 to $650 million, to be obtained from external financing sources – can be compared to a large turnaround. This is an area in which CITGO is well positioned to provide technical expertise and services,” Martínez said, adding that with these changes, the refinery would become a successful economic venture for all parties.

“This has been a very well thought-out process which involved the participation of the best available technical consultants from CITGO and PDVSA, as well as the input of several leading international refining industry consulting firms, such as KBC Advanced Technologies, KBR of Germany and others that assessed the project’s technical and financial viability,” Martínez added.

Once the adaptation process has concluded, the facility will upgrade extra-heavy crude from the Orinoco Oil Belt, transforming it into intermediate crude, which in turn will be sent on to the CITGO refining network in the United States for further processing, Martínez explained. At the same time, naphtha will be sold to PDVSA for use as diluent for its extra-heavy crude.

A complementary project under consideration would allow the utilization of excess natural gas available in the Paraguaná region of Venezuela. Besides the significant energy cost savings in operations that this would generate, using natural gas would substantially reduce refinery emissions and contribute to environmental protection efforts in the region, the CITGO CEO said, adding that the construction of a gas pipeline linking the coasts of Venezuela and Aruba, which are just 17 miles apart, is being evaluated towards this end.

“This is a very strong project from both the technical and financial perspective. It is a strategic partnership that will benefit CITGO Aruba, PDVSA, Venezuela and Aruba through operations that reduce costs in terms of transportation, energy and storage needs, fully utilize existing infrastructure and maximize the benefit of extra-heavy crude oil production from the Orinoco Oil Belt, the largest oil reservoir in the world,” Martínez concluded.

About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information visit www.CITGO.com.

America’s Registry VIP and Four-Time Professional of the Year, Doni-Jo Minor-Munro, Has Been Honored by Strathmore’s Who’s Who with a Special Times Square, NYC Appearance

June 10, 2016

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America's Registry VIP and Four-Time Professional of the Year, Doni-Jo Minor-Munro, Has Been Honored by Strathmore's Who's Who with a Special Times Square, NYC Appearance.

FARMINGDALE, New York, June 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Doni-Jo Minor-Munro of Santa Maria, California, a VIP member in America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals has been honored by Strathmore’s Who’s Who for her outstanding contributions to the field of American Indian Education Programs. Her second Times Square appearance will take place on June 10, 2016.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160609/377740

Doni-Jo Minor-Munro, Yuchi tribal member is a Traditional Spiritual Healer who currently serves as Director of Urban Indian Education in Santa Barbara Tri-County area California. In addition, Ms. Minor-Munro is the CEO/CFO of Our Children Are Sacred, Inc./American Indian Education Programs. She attended the Oregon College of Education and is an advocate of urban Indian rights and native children advocate. Ms. Minor-Munro believes in traditional Indian services. Among some of the services is a traditional Native American Pre-K through 12th school, healing ceremonies, ICWA family support, healing with horses and Native Veterans sweat lodge programs. She is affiliated with UNIC, USET and the National Indian Education Association (NIEA). One of her favorite quotes is “The Creator hears us when we pray in our native tongue. Pray always and serve with humbleness.”

The Times Square honor is of particular significance because of the high visibility it offers. This visual celebration of Doni-Jo Minor-Munro’s career will appear at regular intervals on two monitors attached to the landmark skyscraper at 3 Times Square, #1, New York, NY 10036. This structure is situated in what could be considered the busiest area of Manhattan. America’s Registry is proud to acknowledge this honor bestowed on her by Strathmore’s Who’s Who.

CONTACT: Bea Hanley, 516-997-2525 ext. 100, [email protected]

2017 Acura NSX Supercar to Make its North American Racing Debut at 2016 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

June 10, 2016

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TORRANCE, California, June 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Acura will field a pair of 2017 Acura NSX supercars in the 100^th Anniversary of the running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 26, marking the North American racing debut of Acura’s next-generation NSX: the pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance and the only supercar made in America.

The two Acura NSX supercars will compete in the Time Attack 1 and 2 classes and will be piloted by brothers James and Nick Robinson, respectively, both from the company’s North American engineering team. In addition, Acura will campaign an NSX-inspired prototype vehicle in the Electric Modified Class, featuring a further evolution of the experimental all-electric, 4-motor Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) powertrain that won last year’s Pikes Peak Challenge Exhibition class.

“Pikes Peak is like no other race in the world and offers a unique opportunity to showcase the power and performance of our products,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of the Acura Division. “We are excited for this year’s ‘Race to the Clouds’ to test the endurance and engineering of the Acura NSX and our advanced powertrain technologies – as well as an expression of our racing spirit.”

A team of North American R&D engineers has been working on both NSX entries, which feature the same three-motor Sport Hybrid Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive powertrain (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD) as the production NSX. This powertrain features a twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a 9-speed dual clutch transmission and Rear Direct Drive Motor, and a front Twin Motor Unit with a world’s first electrically powered torque vectoring capability in the supercar realm. Modifications to the NSX competing in the Time Attack 1 class included chassis lightening and a custom high-flow racing exhaust.

The NSX competing in the Time Attack 2 class is a production car with the required safety equipment for competition. The Time Attack 1 NSX will be driven by James Robinson of the company’s North American powertrain development group, who drove a first-generation NSX in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb from 2012 to 2015. His brother Nick Robinson, an engineer in charge of the new NSX’s dynamic performance during its development, will drive the Time Attack 2 NSX. Nick is also the reigning PP250 winner from the 2015 Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

The supercar-inspired 4-Motor EV Concept will be driven by Tetsuya Yamano, who campaigned last year’s CR-Z-based electric prototype. The EV Concept is the ultimate embodiment of the all-wheel-drive Electric SH-AWD powertrain featuring a world’s first technology that enables four-wheel independent torque allocation. The Electric SH-AWD powertrain, an evolution of the CR-Z prototype powertrain, produces three times the total system output of last year’s electric prototype and is mated to the NSX body.

As Official Pace Car sponsor, Acura will feature three pace cars – the NSX, the seven-passenger MDX performance-luxury SUV and the TLX sports sedan. President of Polyphony Digital and Producer of the Gran Turismo series Kazunori Yamauchi and Pikes Peak legends Randy Schranz and Leonard Vahsholtz will lead the field of 100 entrants to the top of the 14,115-foot Colorado peak.

For Pikes Peak race attendees, the NSX and other pace cars will appear at a number of pre-race activities, including the popular Fan Fest in downtown Colorado Springs, 5 to 10 p.m. MDT Friday, June 24.

For More Information
Consumer information is available at www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles.

About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, an original approach to technology and design that creates a new driving experience. On March 27, 2016, Acura celebrated the 30th anniversary of its launch as the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker.

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

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160609/377568
Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100923/ACURALOGO

Four-Time Professional of the Year in American Indian Education Programs, Doni-Jo Minor-Munro, Has Been Honored by Strathmore’s Who’s Who with a Special Times Square, NYC Appearance

June 10, 2016

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Four-Time Professional of the Year in American Indian Education Programs, Doni-Jo Minor-Munro, Has Been Honored by Strathmore's Who's Who with a Special Times Square, NYC Appearance

FARMINGDALE, New York, June 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Doni-Jo Minor-Munro of Santa Maria, California, has been honored by Strathmore’s Who’s Who for her outstanding contributions to the field of American Indian Education Programs. Her second Times Square appearance will take place on June 10, 2016.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160609/377747

Doni-Jo Minor-Munro, Yuchi tribal member is a Traditional Spiritual Healer who currently serves as Director of Urban Indian Education in Santa Barbara Tri-County area California. In addition, Ms. Minor-Munro is the CEO/CFO of Our Children Are Sacred, Inc./American Indian Education Programs. She attended the Oregon College of Education and is an advocate of urban Indian rights and native children advocate. Ms. Minor-Munro believes in traditional Indian services. Among some of the services is a traditional Native American Pre-K through 12th school, healing ceremonies, ICWA family support, healing with horses and Native Veterans sweat lodge programs. She is affiliated with UNIC, USET and the National Indian Education Association (NIEA). One of her favorite quotes is “The Creator hears us when we pray in our native tongue. Pray always and serve with humbleness.”

The Times Square honor is of particular significance because of the high visibility it offers. This visual celebration of Doni-Jo Minor-Munro’s career will appear at regular intervals on two monitors attached to the landmark skyscraper at 3 Times Square, #1, New York, NY 10036. This structure is situated in what could be considered the busiest area of Manhattan. Strathmore’s Who’s Who is proud to honor her.

MoneyGram Expands Money Transfer Service to Bank Accounts in Romania with Earthport Agreement

June 10, 2016

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Service taps into country’s $3.2 billion remittance receive market

DALLAS, June 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — MoneyGram (NASDAQ: MGI) and Earthport announce the launch of a new service that allows MoneyGram customers around the globe to send money directly to any RON bank account in Romania.

“This is an exciting and innovative opportunity for MoneyGram. We continue to expand our network and provide convenient ways for customers to send international remittances,” said Pete Ohser, MoneyGram’s executive vice president of Americas and Europe. “We look forward to working with an industry leader like Earthport. At MoneyGram we put the customer first in everything we do. We are certain that our customers will benefit from this continued expansion of our money transfer services.”

Earthport is connected to more than 60 local currency clearing systems and their market portfolio includes strategic corridors for MoneyGram’s service. Earthport enables this rich new product offering through a single technical integration, greatly speeding time to market. MoneyGram will be able to accelerate market development with the capabilities of Earthport’s global network and product suite.

“We are delighted to announce this collaborative deal with MoneyGram and tie together two powerful and expanding product sets to offer better services to customers worldwide,” said Daniel Marovitz, President and COO, Earthport. “We aim to “future proof” our clients through continuous investment in technology, compliance and reach. As MoneyGram expands its money transfer services to accounts, we are a natural partner for acceleration and innovation. We look forward to working together on this exciting new development.”

According to the World Bank, an estimated $3.2 billion was sent into Romania in 2015. More than $930 million was sent from Italy, $740 million was sent from Spain and another $422 million arrived from Germany.

About MoneyGram International, Inc.

MoneyGram is a global provider of innovative money transfer and payment services and is recognized worldwide as a financial connection to friends and family. Whether online, or through a mobile device, at a kiosk or in a local store, we connect consumers any way that is convenient for them. We also provide bill payment services, issue money orders and process official checks in select markets. More information about MoneyGram International, Inc. is available at moneygram.com.

MoneyGram Media Relations:

Michelle Buckalew
Director, Global Media Relations
214-979-1418
[email protected]

About Earthport

Earthport is a regulated financial institution providing cross-border payments services to banks, eCommerce providers, money transfer companies and payment aggregators. Earthport is headquartered in London with regional offices in New York, Miami, Dubai and Singapore. Earthport provides its clients with access to a global network of banking partners, through which payments are settled directly via local clearing to beneficiaries in over 60 countries. Earthport’s worldwide network is revolutionising global payments, providing a more cost efficient, transparent and reliable solution to the industry. Through a single relationship, clients benefit from sophisticated validation, message transformation and compliance services, efficiently serving their customers with more innovative payment products. Earthport is a public company, traded on the London Stock Exchange (AIM: EPO) with an institutional investor base including World Bank IFC, Oppenheimer, Blackrock, Henderson. Please visit www.earthport.com for more information.

Earthport Media Relations:

Angela Casucci
PR Executive
Tel: 44 (0)20 7220 6286
[email protected]

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