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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Memorandum of Understanding with Maryland Innovation & Security Institute

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maryland Innovation & Security Institute ( MISI ) and Dreamport Mission Accelerator. This unique partnership will extend efforts to advance the goals and objectives for improving the cyber and supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) global Defense Industrial Base (DIB) network of contractors, suppliers, and vendors. The executed MOU establishes a cooperative agreement between the Maryland Innovation & Security Institute and CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices for the DIB contractor community and the information and communication technology community creating a broader CMMC ecosystem to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Collaboration on cyber technology knowledge sharing Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC Through this exciting partnership, the CMMC-COE ( www.cmmc-coe.org ) will also focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE partner network will be sharing a wide range of capabilities from member organizations, including; cyber standards frameworks, education, solution architectures, cyber mentoring, workforce, and other elements needed to scale to the demands of the entire DIB market place in the US and abroad (400,000+ contractors). The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small/medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. MISI is recognized as a leading provider of cybersecurity expertise and test and evaluation resource for cybersecurity technologies. MISI helps organizations by disrupting traditional innovation and accelerating the discovery of viable cybersecurity and related technologies that when combined with more mature technology, results in powerful new capabilities tackling new vulnerabilities and attack vectors launched at the US and the world. Acceleration is accomplished through maximum collaboration between our global cybersecurity and technology network of resources, academia, federal laboratories, and technology incubators and accelerators in our cyber mission accelerator facilities and labs, thereby, speeding up solution discovery through continuous probing of the marketplace and disruptive thought leadership. The team at MISI is deeply engaged with DoD suppliers across the nation and around the world as part of the organization’s efforts to find, test, evaluate, and develop as necessary, cost-effective cyber solutions in support of the nation and its supply chain. MISI’s work includes an almost two year deep dive into studying the challenges and state of the Defense Industrial Base ( DIB ) as it pertains to DFARS-7012 and readiness for the new CMMC requirements. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on the Maryland Innovation & Security Institute, please visit https://misi.tech/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

November 16, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Holiday Shopping Tips from a Personal Finance Expert

D S Simon Media

After a difficult 2020, it’s no surprise that this holiday season will look and feel a little different. With consumers potentially navigating difficult financial times, it’s more important than ever to be prepared for what lies ahead. Recently, Personal Finance Expert, Farnoosh Torabi, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a national satellite media tour to discuss. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/4hnnkME8t0E Get a Head Start There’s no need to wait until Black Friday or December to begin holiday shopping. Sales are abundant and round-the-clock this year, as retailers work hard to attract shoppers in a slow economy. When you see a sale for an item that’s on your list, take advantage of it. Waiting until the last minute only ensures you’ll be left with few options, in which case you might overspend on items that weren’t originally on your list. Make Budgeting a Family Affair You’re likely not the only member of the family concerned with blowing your budget over the holidays. To that end, be sure to openly discuss your savings goals with your family and suggest alternatives that could help bring down everyone’s expenses. For example, you might want to throw out the idea of an anonymous gift exchange, ‘Secret Santa,’ or ‘Pollyanna’ so that each family member only needs to shop for one person instead of multiple. Make it extra budget-friendly by capping gifts to no more than $25 or $30. Use Credit Wisely Avoid the traditional New Year debt hangover and be conscientious when using your credit card this holiday season. Try to streamline your spending onto one card for easier tracking. While you’re at it, use the card that best rewards you for all of your holiday purchases. For example, the Capital One Walmart Rewards Card helps will save you time and money this holiday season with unlimited 5% cash back on Walmart.com purchases. And if you’re planning to get out of your home for the holidays, the Capital One Walmart Rewards Card also earns you 2% back on restaurants and travel, so you’re saving everywhere you shop. That savings will allow you to spend more time on what matters during the holidays and less time shopping around. Bulk Buy Common Gifts For gifts you anticipate giving to many people this year, for example, bottles of wine, chocolates or stocking stuffers for your kids, buy the items in bulk. Often retailers will provide a 10% or 15% discount if you buy several of one item, whether it’s six pairs of the same socks or several pounds of sweets. It may not be advertised, but always worth asking a store manager. Never Checkout without a Promo Code Before you click “check out” online, be sure you’re not leaving any discounts on the table. A quick internet search for the name of the retailer and the term “discount code” might lead you to some handy codes to save a fast 20% or free shipping. For more information about the Capital One Walmart Rewards Card, visit www.Walmart.com/credit or visit Farnoosh.tv for more holiday shopping tips. About Farnoosh Torabi Farnoosh Torabi is one of America’s leading personal finance authorities — hooked on helping you live your richest, happiest life. As a Contributing Editor to Oprah Magazine and NextAdvisor, host of primetime series for CNBC and creator of the Webby-nominated podcast So Money, Farnoosh has become our favorite go-to money expert and financial friend. The New York Times calls her advice, “perfectly practical.” About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 13, 2020 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Unhygienic restaurants are flushing away repeat business – new Fine Dining survey highlights importance of a clean restroom to customers

Fine Hygienic Holding

89% of customers will not return to restaurants with poor washroom hygiene and 79% of customers prefer paper hand towels over hand dryers while 66% opting for sterilized products over regular hand towels A survey commissioned by Fine Solutions, the away-from-home division of Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH), one of the world’s leading wellness groups and manufacturer of hygienic paper products, has highlighted the importance of hygiene in the dining experience post Covid-19 lockdown, with 89% of UAE customers unwilling to revisit a restaurant with poor washroom hygiene. The survey by Kantar Middle East was created to understand the customer perspective and the correlation between loyalty and restroom hygiene. The survey of 500 respondents was conducted online across different nationalities, affluence levels and cities. The main findings show that customers placed more importance on cleanliness in the washroom (50%) than in the kitchen (48%) or interior - the area including tables, chairs, floor and billing counter (47%) - when it comes to hygiene factors that matter most in a restaurant. Elsewhere, cleanliness and operational condition (62%) were found to be the most important hygiene factors in a restaurant restroom. James Michael Lafferty, CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding, said: “This survey comes at an important time for both consumers and brands as we navigate the new normal of everyday life in the time of the Covid pandemic. Operators and brands are still adjusting to life post lockdown, implementing new protocols and adhering to new directives, and tackling the realities of business and life while re-engaging with their core customers. “We understand the importance of hygiene, it drives everything we do as a business. And this study emphasizes how highly customers and consumers place these considerations when it comes to their choices and their behavior.” The survey has uncovered some interesting findings on consumer preference towards hygiene and cleanliness, in an era when businesses can be affected by poor customer reviews and social media coverage. Although customers expect high hygiene standards across any outlet, the cleanliness of the dining area and restroom stand out. Customer perception of washroom hygiene is influenced by several attributes including the cleanliness and overall operational condition of toilets and handwashing area, dryness of floors, and availability of sanitation products. Cleanliness and availability of sanitation products in the restroom were rated highly important. Interestingly, while toilet cleanliness rated higher among female respondents, the availability of sanitation products such as wipes and sanitizers on tables polled higher among males. Taking a deep dive into hand hygiene, 79% of customers preferred paper towels over hand dryers, citing speed, health and texture as the main reason for their preference. Absorption power, biodegradable aspects and texture were the three most important attributes for paper towel users. Sterilized paper hand towels were also preferred to regular paper towels by 66% of those surveyed. The overall preference for paper towels fits in with a number of scientific studies which show that hand dryers spread 1,300 times more germs than paper towels. According to the study, preference for paper towels was found to be the highest among Arabs (87%), with absorption rated most important by Asian Expats, and thickness and brand considered most important in cities. Lafferty added: “The unique Fine Dine Program has been designed to recognize the efforts of F&B establishments in improving hygiene level at their facilities, and also to link consumers to a network of restaurants and dining options in the region with high hygiene levels.” Fine Hygienic Holding provides restaurants and a range of other businesses, from healthcare institutions, corporate offices, and industrial facilities, with carefully tailored solutions to ensure a clean and hygienic environment through its away-from-home division Fine Solutions. The Fine Dine Program network is exclusively available on www.finedineplaces.com. NB: the percentage figure given corresponds to the number of respondents who gave a rating of 9 or 10 to the survey questions About Fine Hygienic Holding: Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH), MENA’s leading manufacturer of hygienic products, serves consumers in more than 80 countries around the world. With its commitment to becoming “the shining star of the Arab FMCG business world,” FHH focuses on wellness, sustainability, state-of-the-art production processes, pioneering CSR programs, and award-winning products. The company offers a diverse array of products including facial tissues, napkins, kitchen towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, adult briefs, jumbo rolls, as well as away-from-home products to accommodate all types of private and public institutions, in addition to personal protective equipment (PPE). Contact Details Sylvia Sarkies +971 4 367 1084 sylvia.s@actionprgroup.com Company Website https://www.finehh.com/

November 11, 2020 07:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Memorandum of Understanding with CREST International

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding with CREST International, an international not-for-profit certification and accreditation body that supports the global technical information security market and is headquartered in the UK. This unique partnership will extend efforts to advance the goals and objectives for improving the cyber and supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) global Defense Industrial Base (DIB) network of contractors, suppliers, and vendors through an evaluation process intended to validate the capabilities, experience, and integrity of CMMC COE provider partners. The executed MOU establishes a cooperative agreement between CREST International and the CMMC COE, in coordination with the CMMC COE EU ( http://cmmc-eu.com ), to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices for the DIB contractor community and the information and communications technology community creating a broader CMMC ecosystem to improve security and resilience across the global defense industrial base. CREST ( www.crest-approved.org ) provides internationally recognized accreditations for organizations providing technical security services and also includes professional level certifications for individuals providing vulnerability assessment; penetration testing, cyber incident response; threat intelligence; and security operations center ( SOC ) services. “This is a momentous occasion for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “Our global expansion will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) beyond North America”. “This new partnership between CREST and CMMC COE will play an important role in strengthening the resilience and protection of vital critical national infrastructure through structured testing to validate security defenses and controls, carried out by highly-qualified and certified professionals,” said Tom Brennan, Chairman of CREST USA. “It is vital that the buying communities in both the public and private sectors have the confidence and trust that their employees, contractors or suppliers have the highest levels of knowledge, skill and competence.” With locations in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the United States, the partnership reinforces a foundation of global capability for the validation of CMMC providers in 1) training & education; 2) readiness assessment 3) development and implementation of a tailored plan of action & milestones to advance preparedness, and 4) continuous monitoring to ensure maintenance of certification compliance. The CMMC-COE ( www.cmmc-coe.org ) and the CMMC COE EU ( https://cmmc-eu.com/ ) will continue to focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE partner network will be sharing a wide range of capabilities from member organizations, including; cyber standards frameworks, education, solution architectures, cyber mentoring, workforce, and other elements needed to scale to the demands of the entire DIB market place in the US and abroad (400,000 contractors). For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on the CMMC COE EU, please visit https://cmmc-eu.com/ For more information on CREST, please visit www.crest-approved.org About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

November 10, 2020 05:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

CALIFORNIA RHEUMATOLOGY ALLIANCE SOUNDS ALARM ON DANGEROUS POLICY CHANGE FROM ANTHEM BLUE CROSS

California Rheumatology Alliance

The California Rheumatology Alliance (CRA), a specialty physician association comprised of rheumatologists from community practices and medical centers throughout California, released a letter it sent earlier this week to Beth Anderson, Anthem’s California Plan President. The letter requests a meeting and reconsideration of a proposed policy adjustment that will force patients to utilize Anthem’s preferred specialty pharmacies, making it nearly impossible for certain treatments (specifically infusion therapy) to be conducted in physician offices – under their care. Many California physicians have received notices from Anthem stating the insurer’s policy will change on December 1, 2020, requiring the procurement of drugs from Anthem’s designated specialty pharmacy, regardless of less expensive options physicians can obtain via an open marketplace. Normally, physician administered drugs are obtained via a “buy and bill” system where a physician purchases medication and bills the insurance company under a patient’s medical benefit. The new policy moves administered medications away from the physician and the patient’s medical benefit to the patient’s pharmacy benefit - effectively reversing work physicians have done to reduce patient costs for office administered medications. The letter states in part: “…As a result of Anthem’s policy change, patients will be increasingly forced into more expensive sites of care such as hospitals or to sites where there is no direct supervision by physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants… …Higher prices, and reduced access to care – surely these are outcomes you want to avoid…” The full letter may be found here: https://wp.calrheum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020-CRA-Letter-to-Anthem.pdf “By disrupting the current model of care, Anthem Blue Cross is putting patients at risk,” stated Dr. Samy Metyas, CRA’s President. “Patients that delay treatment or go elsewhere (like a hospital) for care will experience longer waits, less oversight, and substantially higher out of pocket costs. Forcing patients to take on these added burdens, at a time like this, is shameful.” By transferring medications covered on the medical side of insurance to the pharmacy side, insurers are expecting that more money can be made in the form of hidden fees and price concessions. However, costs rise at much faster rates under these scenarios than with physician procured medicines – a burden on the patient, on Anthem policyholders, and on employers that sponsor plans. “In advance of the implementation of this policy, CRA and other patient advocacy organizations will be taking action to inform patients, employers, and regulators of the dangers accompanying Anthem’s new policy. Removing the acquisition of office administered medications away from the physician and to the patient’s pharmacy benefit through specialty pharmacy will be disruptive and costly for patients,” Dr. Metyas continued, “Anthem Blue Cross can still delay or cancel the implementation of this policy change and we hope they will see the light before it is too late.” The California Rheumatology Alliance is a specialty physician association comprised of rheumatologists from community practices and medical centers throughout the state. The majority of its members come from the Northern California Rheumatology Society (NCRS), the Southern California Rheumatology Society (SCRS) and the San Diego Rheumatology Society (SDRS). Membership has since expanded to include all those health professionals regularly engaged in the care of patients with rheumatic diseases. ### Please visit https://www.calrheum.org/ For more information, or to schedule an interview with a CRA spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://www.calrheum.org/

October 29, 2020 12:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Top Medical Groups Issue New Guidelines for Treating Musculoskeletal Pain

D S Simon Media

The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) released a new clinical guideline recommending that physicians treat acute pain from non-low back musculoskeletal injuries with topical NSAIDs, as first-line therapy. Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 65 MILLION health care visits in the US. Recently, Dr. Bob Arnot partnered with Salonpas and YourUpdateTV on a national satellite media tour to discuss this important topic. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/STZ5b3RHFJo The leading Medical groups, with more than 300,000 members, established new recommendations for treating acute pain from injuries such as sprains, strains and bruises based on a review of studies with more than 32,000 participants. They found that topical NSAIDs were most effective having the greatest net benefit for patients. This is a significant shift from using oral NSAIDs or Acetaminophen which are now listed as the second choice. In the guideline, the ACP and AAFP suggest against prescribing opioids for patients with acute pain from non-low back, musculoskeletal injuries. According to Dr. Arnot, these new guidelines will, “fundamentally change the way most Americans think about treating pain. Clinicians should treat patients with acute pain from non-low back, musculoskeletal injuries with topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). A great example is the Salonpas Pain Relief Patch, which is applied directly to the site of pain.” For more information, visit Salonpas.us About Dr. Bob Arnot: Dr. Arnot is an Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist and author who was previously Chief Medical Correspondent for NBC and CBS News. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their.It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

October 28, 2020 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Graphic novel: Disinformation and cyber warfare illustrated in Real Fake

Stockwood Strategy

Deepfakes, bots, and troll farms are just some of the emerging techniques for creating and spreading disinformation. Erly Stage Studios has today published Real Fake , the digital graphic novel, which sheds a light on the disruptive forces at work. This book is the first of the graphic novels that are a part of the Resilience Series commissioned by the US Cyber Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA). Real Fake will inform and educate people on the dangers and risks associated with dis- and mis- information through fictional stories inspired by real-world events. In Real Fake, readers will meet the protagonist Rachel O'Sullivan, a gamer, patriot and member of Symous - a group fighting disinformation and foreign interference in elections as polling day approaches. Farid Haque, founder and CEO of Erly Stage Studios commented: “We’re delighted to have been commissioned by CISA to create a practical and engaging communication tool that highlights the existential threat of disinformation in the context of bad state actors. While the story is fictional many of the approaches shown are very much grounded in the reality of the technology we live with and are exposed to almost daily.” Real Fake provides a unique education for the reader about the world of Deepfakes and their history while helping the reader understand the need to exercise care when it comes to consuming news and information via social media platforms and online sources of information. In the story, racing against the clock a group of citizens set out to shine a spotlight on the source of disinformation. They find it’s coming from across their borders and from the unlikeliest of places set up as farms to perpetuate information that maliciously misleads and influences electoral outcomes. The protagonists of the story have access to unique resources and are able to prove who the sponsors of disinformation are via their puppet farms set up around the world to troll democracy in the land of the free. “Real Fake is the culmination of the wealth of experience that Clint Watts brings in cyber warfare and disinformation and our studio’s creative direction and storytelling style. We spent months researching the real life incidents and then wrapped them into a fictional story” added Farid Haque. The graphic novel is being made available by CISA to the general public online as a free resource ahead of the 2020 US Presidential election at the following URL: https://www.cisa.gov/cfi-resilience-series-graphic-novels . A subsequent title in the series will be released a few weeks afterwards titled Bug Bytes. Watch this space and log back into https://www. publishing.erlystagestudios.com to learn more. Contributing artists to Real Fake include: Annas Dar, Jose Niño Galenzoga, Patricia Beja, Mona Shan and Joel Santiago. Lettering and layouts by Annas Dar, Komal N. and Haroon M. Story by Clint Watts and Farid Haque, supported by the script writing team which includes Michael Gianfrancesco and Kabir Sabharwal. Edited by Tolly M. and Laila Khan. Special thanks to Randall Heather and Max Brooks. ENDS About Erly Stage Studios Erly Stage Studios is an indie publisher, headquartered out of London, United Kingdom, capturing iconic stories in serious graphic novels. We are an expert team of educators, storytellers, and artists working to create awareness about important topics using the graphic novel medium. The team loves shining a spotlight on stories that are yet to see the light of graphic novels. As an expert team of teachers, researchers and designers the team works with innovative organisations and policymakers around the world to deliver soft power through engaging and creative projects. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://publishing.erlystagestudios.com/

October 28, 2020 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Hankook Tire Gauge Index: COVID-19 Redefines the Rules of the Holiday Road

Hankook Tire America Corp.

Despite anxiety and uncertainty spurred by COVID-19, a majority of Americans still plan to travel this holiday season, according to the Hankook Tire Gauge Index. Three-quarters of Americans (74 percent) plan to travel for the holidays, however they’re changing how and when they venture out. At the same time, apprehension about planning travel far in advance is on the rise as only 16 percent of Americans are willing to commit to personal travel more than six months out. Among those planning to travel for the holidays, 78 percent say they will travel by car with many choosing to drive as a safety precaution. With safety being a high priority, many travelers are also planning around some form of quarantine. The majority of travelers (70 percent) plan to quarantine in some way upon returning home, while 64 percent plan to do so leading up to their trip and then again once they arrive at their destination (61 percent). Americans are also adjusting when they travel, as three-quarters are planning to travel early to avoid typical peak travel times. “As with so much this year, it’s difficult to predict exactly how holiday travel will pan out, but our latest survey finds that the rules of the road are changing for the holidays,” said Peter Jung, SVP and COO, Hankook Tire America Corp. “More people will hit the road this year as a way to see family and friends. To stay safe, they’re modifying plans to beat the traffic and allow time to quarantine. At the same time, home for the holidays is taking on new meaning as more Americans plan to stay closer to home.” On The Road Again While one-in-four (26 percent) will stay home for the holidays, up from 9 percent prior to the onset of COVID-19, overall Americans are feeling more confident about getting behind the wheel. The Gauge revealed that daily driving is returning to more normal levels than reported in the spring. Currently 60 percent of Americans are driving daily, compared to April when only 20 percent hit the road every day, and road trips are a significant part of that. Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of those surveyed said they have taken a road trip since the onset of the pandemic, either out of necessity or for leisure. Road trips are also rising in popularity compared to air travel, as Americans are currently two times more comfortable traveling long distances by car (46 percent) than by plane (24 percent). However, Hankook found that while 93 percent of millennials have already taken a road trip this year, the majority of boomers (54 percent) and the Silent Generation (70 percent) said that they are not comfortable traveling long distance, no matter the form of transportation. “The Gauge revealed signs of daily driving returning to a more normal cadence, but even still, there is uncertainty about hitting the road,” Jung added. “No matter when you feel comfortable getting back behind the wheel or where you’re headed once you do, Hankook looks forward to helping you and your family get there safely.” The Hankook Tire Gauge Index is a survey of Americans' attitudes and opinions about driving. The latest installment of the survey, conducted September 24-27, 2020, polled 1,044 randomly selected Americans age 18+ who have a valid U.S. driver’s license. About Hankook Tire America Corp. Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Hankook America markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea. Contact Details Mollie Holman +1 646-746-5611 mholman@brodeur.com Company Website https://www.hankooktire.com/us/

October 27, 2020 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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FABER DISTILLING ESTABLISHES FOUNDATION SUPPORTING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

The Faber Foundation

Earlier this year, Pennsylvania-based Faber Distilling Co . (Faber) shifted production of its high-quality vodkas, gin, and rum to the manufacture of hand sanitizer ( Faber Hand Sanitizer .) While many distillers have made similar adjustments, Faber scaled the production of its hand sanitizer to supply consumers as well as medical professionals and first responders when supplies were scarce. Continuing with its mission to put sanitizer and other personal protection equipment (PPE) into the hands of those who need it most, the company is announcing the launch of The Faber Foundation – a charitable organization. The mission of the Faber Foundation is to help combat the spread of COVID-19 by equipping those who need hand sanitizer and other PPE with these critical supplies – quickly and efficiently. “When the pandemic escalated in the United States, our founders rose to the challenge and converted a distillery into a hand sanitizer production facility. By producing millions of bottles and distributing nationwide, Faber Sanitizer helped fill the void during the sanitizer shortage of 2020. Now, our founders are turning their efforts to help those communities that are still struggling to obtain PPE,” explained Faber’s Director of National Accounts, Brenden Pakebusch. “More than 1,000,000 bottles of hand sanitizer and other PPE worth more than $2,000,000 is already slated for donation, and with greater cooperation, even more is possible.” The beneficiaries of Faber Foundation’s generosity include organizations, large and small, which work directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross. Organizations that need sanitizer and PPE are encouraged to contact the Faber Foundation here: https://www.thefaberfoundation.com/inquiries As COVID-19 continues to disrupt public health and the economy, those wishing to support this cause are encouraged to donate here: https://www.thefaberfoundation.com/donate . “When Faber began manufacturing sanitizer, we responded to the immediate needs of so many organizations and individuals to obtain product. Although supplies have become more plentiful, challenges still remain in getting sanitizer into the hands of health professionals, first responders, and other essential workers who need it most,” Pakebusch continued. “The Faber Foundation is proud to meet these needs and welcomes the support of others wishing to participate.” The Faber Foundation ensures that donations are immediately deployed, getting essential supplies out in real time, with the cost of transportation and shipping also contributed. The Foundation does not assess any management or administrative fees, allowing nearly 100% of these donations to benefit nonprofit organizations and essential workers. “These are difficult times and helping ease anxieties by removing the obstacles of obtaining sanitizer and PPE to combat the spread of COVID-19 is essential,” said Pakebusch. “If you want to support something that will truly save lives and help to turn the tide of the pandemic, then the Faber Foundation is an efficient and effective organization that is already making a difference.” The Faber Foundation’s existing supply and access to hand sanitizer can reassure nonprofit organizations, school leaders, healthcare workers, and others on the front lines, that the hand sanitizer follows FDA guidelines, and will be available when they need it. Product is shipped directly in a variety of pack sizes as well as by the pallet load. To learn more about the Faber Foundation’s Hand Sanitizer and support global health, please visit https://www.thefaberfoundation.com . ### To schedule an interview with Faber’s Brenden Pakebusch please contact Dan Rene of kglobal at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com. Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://fabersanitizer.com/

October 22, 2020 03:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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