enero 2021 – Página 65

CGTN:China ve las Olimpiadas de Invierno de Pekín como una oportunidad de promoción

– CGTN:China ve las Olimpiadas de Invierno de Pekín como una oportunidad para promover los deportes de hielo y nieve

PEKÍN, 26 de enero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Mientras el mundo está aún inmerso en la pandemia de COVID-19 y China aborda brotes esporádicos, los preparativos para las Olimpiadas de Invierno de Pekín 2022 han entrado en una fase crítica.

El presidente chino Xi Jinping dijo el lunes que cree que China, con fuerte apoyo de varias partes, completará todos los preparativos previstos para asegurar que las Olimpiadas…

– CGTN:China ve las Olimpiadas de Invierno de Pekín como una oportunidad para promover los deportes de hielo y nieve

El presidente chino Xi Jinping dijo el lunes que cree que China, con fuerte apoyo de varias partes, completará todos los preparativos previstos para asegurar que las Olimpiadas de Invierno de Pekín sean un éxito.

El presidente Xi hizo estas declaraciones durante su conversación telefónica con el presidente Thomas Bach del Comité Olímpico Internacional (COI)

China ha implementado estrictamente medidas de contención, superado el impacto de la pandemia y promovido activamente el progreso estable de todos los preparativos, dijo Xi, añadiendo que en la actualidad la construcción de sitios e infraestructura para las Olimpiadas de Invierno de Pekín ha logrado un progreso gradual.

Cuando Pekín ganó la puja en 2015, Bach dijo que los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno 2022 «se habían puesto en manos seguras».

Menos de 400 días tras la apertura de los Juegos de Invierno 2022 en Pekín el 4 de febrero de 2022, la construcción o reconstrucción de los 12 sitios de competición se ha completado a pesar de las incertidumbres y retos desencadenados por la COVID-19. Un ferrocarril de alta velocidad que enlace Pekín y co-aloja Zhangjiakou ya está operacional, se han recibido casi un millón de solicitudes de voluntarios y se han publicado pictogramas de los Juegos.

China se toma los preparativos para los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno de Pekín como una oportunidad para promover la popularización y desarrollo de deportes de hielo y nieve, dijo Xi, añadiendo que Pekín la única ciudad del mundo que ha celebrado Olimpiadas de Verano e Invierno, realizará contribuciones únicas al Movimiento Olímpico Internacional.

Según un informe de la Universidad Renmin de China el pasado diciembre, aunque la pandemia forzó a la mitad de los encuestados con experiencia en deportes de invierno a cancelar sus planes deportivos esta temporada pasada, 150 millones de personas en China se han implicado en deportes de invierno al menos una vez desde 2019 a 2020, la mitad del objetivo de China de llegar a los 300 millones de participantes.

El informe también mostró que la cantidad de personas que siguen de cercal as noticias sobre los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno de Pekín 2022 ha aumentado firmemente desde un 6,2 por ciento en 2018 al 10,4 por ciento en 2020. En torno al 70 por ciento de los participantes han prestado atención a los Juegos en los últimos tres años a través de distintos medios.

El presidente Xi ha dado gran importancia a los preparativos de las Olimpiadas de Invierno 2022. La semana pasada, inspeccionó los sitios y conoció los preparativos en la capital china de Pekín y la ciudad de Zhangjiakou en la provincia Hebei.

Durante su tour de inspección de Shougang Park en el distrito de Shijingshan, el sitio del Comité Organizador de Pekín para las Olimpiadas de Invierno 2022, en febrero de 2019, el presidente Xi destacó la necesidad de estar comprometido con celebrar los Juegos de un modo ecológico, basado en compartir, abierto y limpio, y completar todos los preparativos de acuerdo con altos estándares.

El COI, dijo Bach, apoya el concepto de China de celebrar unos Juegos de Invierno ecológicos, inclusivos, abiertos y limpios y se sitúa listo para trabajar con China para asegurar unos Juegos de éxito, espléndidos y seguros, que no solo llevarán a cabo la visión de promover los deportes de invierno entre los 300 millones de personas china, sino que avanzan fuertemente el desarrollo del Movimiento Olímpico internacional.

El COI sigue comprometido con mantener el espíritu olímpico y se opone a la politización del deporte, dijo Bach, añadiendo que la organización seguirá reforzando la cooperación estratégica a largo plazo con China.

Artículo original: aquí.

Sports, Gambling And Hollywood Meet In VegasWINNERS Video Podcast Co-Hosted By Former Baywatch Star Angelica Bridges And VegasWINNERS CEO Wayne Allyn Root

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Winners, Inc. (OTC «WNRS») subsidiary VegasWINNERS Inc., which provides sports betting enthusiasts with high quality analysis, research, data, guidance and professional advice, announces it will be launching an exclusive video podcast on its site this quarter featuring company CEO «The King of Vegas Sports Handicapping» Wayne Allyn Root, former Baywatch star Angelica Bridges, and other to be named celebrity hosts and handicapping experts. The interactive video podcast will give audiences an insider’s view on the fascinating worlds of sports, entertainment, and sports wagering. Guests will include a who’s who from the big screen to the grid iron; from the concert stage to the hardwood.

«No video podcast built around the sports betting industry gives its audience the combined insights and behind-the-scenes conversations from sports stars and celebrities that Angelica and I will provide,» said VegasWINNERS founder and CEO Wayne Allyn Root. «With our combined contacts of A-List athletes, actors and sports betting personalities you can bet (pun intended) we’re bringing something unique and unforgettable to every show. In addition, Angelica brings an exclusive blend of on-camera experience, select access to celebrities, and a life-long passion for sports.»

For many years Wayne Allyn Root hosted a football handicapping show on major national cable TV networks called «The Winning Edge», which featured stars such as NFL Hall of Famers and Super Bowl champions Randy White of the Dallas Cowboys, John Riggins of the Washington Redskins and Dan Hampton of the Chicago Bears. The VegasWINNERS video podcast will take it a step further, covering all sports all year, providing its audience with online betting guidance year-round.

Model, actress, singer and long-time sports fan Angelica played «Taylor Welsh» on Baywatch, one of the most watched television shows in the world with an estimated weekly audience of over one billion viewers. Angelica was the team captain of the Lingerie Football League’s «Las Vegas Sin» franchise and served as a sideline commentator for the league.

«I’ve been a sports fan my entire life. It’s something I’ve been passionate about and have been around for a long time,» said Angelica, former star of The Luxor Hotel and Casino show «Fantasy» in Las Vegas. «To co-host this show alongside a Vegas legend and one of America’s great sports wagering minds is a dream job. Together we’re going to give our audience access to many of today’s hottest stars and athletes with lively conversations you won’t hear anywhere else.»

The popularity of podcasts has exploded in recent years – according to Nielsen, 55% of the U.S. population has viewed or heard a podcast, up from 51% just two years ago. And the rise of video platforms shows that today’s consumers have an emotional draw to videos and are the present and the future of the internet where content is king.

In addition to providing its audience with online wagering advice, unmatched celebrity insights and conversations, the VegasWINNERS video podcast will drive more traffic to its site and provide the company with an additional revenue stream – the fourth annual IAB Podcast Advertising Revenue Report prepared by PwC, shows that U.S. podcast advertising revenues near $1 billion in 2020.

ABOUT WINNERS, INC.

Winners, Inc., through its subsidiary VegasWinners, Inc., is engaged in the business of sports gambling research, data, advice, analysis and predictions utilizing all available media, advertising formats and its database of users. Revenues are expected to accelerate due to the explosion of sports handicapping arising from the 2018 Supreme Court decision that States have the right to approve sports gambling and the resulting State by State rapid approval of sports gambling. For further information, please see https://vegaswinners.com/

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as «believes,» «expects,» «potential,» «plans,» «suggests,» «may,» «should,» «could,» «intends,» or similar expressions. Many forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to enhance our products and systems to address industry changes, our ability to expand our customer base and retain existing customers, our ability to effectively compete in our market segment, the lack of public information on our company, our ability to raise sufficient capital to fund our business, operations, our ability to continue as a going concern, and a limited public market for our common stock, among other risks. Many factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond the company’s control. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

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SOURCE VegasWINNERS

Holiday Shores Motel Restoration Adds Modern Flair to Mid-Century Getaway

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — A historical slice of Myrtle Beach’s hospitality heyday is shining again following the New Year’s Eve reopening of the Holiday Shores drive-in motel at 7501 Ocean Blvd.

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The utilization of State and Federal historic preservation incentives will change our city for generations to come

Built in 1965, Holiday Shores is one of 120 motels constructed along the Myrtle Beach Grand Strand in the 1960s. Designed in the «Populuxe» style, a blend between populism and luxury that evolved after World War II, the building reflects a period of America’s burgeoning middle class and its desire to travel and explore. These small, family-run properties typically included a nod to the exotic, incorporating Polynesian themes, bright signage, and pops of color to draw motorists’ attention.

With the property in need of repair, GBX Group LLC, a historic preservation real estate firm headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, completed the initial investment that led to the rehabilitation with developers Robert Lewis, Chris Rogers, Tom Prioreschi, and Will Brennan. Tim Mclendon of Columbia, S.C., oversaw the design. This historic rehabilitation of Holiday Shores conformed with the National Park Service’s historic preservation standards.

The motel originally featured a modest 22 guestrooms and a detached owner’s suite (Graham House). Interior renovations include transforming the Graham House into three additional guestrooms, new fixtures and finishes throughout the property and a new lobby. Exterior upgrades restore the motel to its mid-century glamour.

«I fell in love with this hotel at first sight and knew I wanted to stay true to the period as much as possible, yet give it a facelift at the same time,» said Mclendon. «I chose exterior colors that would make it vibrant and pop. Most of the furnishings are mid-century-inspired and the feel of one who has traveled globally on holiday…thus, Holiday Shores was reborn and revitalized!»

Holiday Shores, now rebranded as part of the Choice Ascend Collection, joins its sister property, Waikiki Village, an earlier restoration project by primarily the same ownership/development/design team, as two of only a handful of remaining drive-in motels left in the area.

Robert Lewis, who grew up in nearby Conway, SC commented, «We’re proud to support the restoration of both motel properties. Not only do they offer meaningful cultural value to the area, but both projects contributed to community rebuilding, job creation and economic growth, all of which are catalysts for add-on development and long-term vitality.»

Brenda Bethune, Mayor of Myrtle Beach, added, «The Holiday Shores project is yet another example of the revitalization of Myrtle Beach. The utilization of State and Federal historic preservation incentives to bring new life to our mid-century buildings will change the landscape of our city for generations to come.»

Holiday Shores and Waikiki Village motels are managed by Coakley & Williams (CW) Hotel Management Company of Linthicum Heights, Maryland, the preeminent provider of comprehensive hotel management services with a property portfolio that represents great hotel brands such as Hilton, IHG, Best Western, Choice and Wyndham, as well as, independent boutique hotels, in many of the nation’s highest-performing hotel markets.

«We are thrilled to have been selected as the management company for these incredible projects and partners with this development group. Having managed successful hotels in the Myrtle Beach market in the past, we are committed to maximizing the revenue opportunities at both properties and have a proven track record,» said Mark Williams, CEO of Coakley & Williams. Williams continued, «In an effort to immediately increase exposure and join a leading reservation property management system, we franchised the property with Choice Hotels, one of the largest hotel chains in the world, making it part of their exclusive Ascend Collection.»

Choice Hotels Commitment to Clean, Health & Safety First

Holiday Shores Myrtle Beach, Ascend Hotel Collection by Choice Hotels, is committed to the health and safety of all guests and team members. The hotel is strictly adhering to specific guidelines to meet the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19. Among them, the hotel is following the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AHLA) «Safe Stay» guidelines, which are grounded in guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

Further, the hotel’s 360-degree approach across all departments will adhere to requirements set by Choice Hotels’ global Commitment to Clean initiative which builds on Choice Hotels’ long-standing cleanliness protocols and enhances the existing program with guidance developed in response to the pandemic, including recommendations related to deep cleaning, disinfecting, hygiene, and social distancing.

When staying at the Holiday Shores, Ascend Hotel Collection, guests can expect a growing variety of new and improved cleanliness protocols, products and communications, including:

Heightened cleaning protocols for high-traffic areas such as the front desk, fitness centers and pools, as well as other high-touch surfaces throughout the hotel, using hospital-grade disinfectant approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Furniture arrangements designed to encourage appropriate social distancing in accordance with CDC guidelines.
Changes in breakfast offerings, with many hotels that provide breakfast replacing their buffet with pre-packaged breakfast items.

For more information or to reserve a stay, visit Holiday Shores, Ascend Hotel Collection by Choice Hotels at www.choicehotels.com/sc652 or call 843-839-8005. Be sure to follow us at https://m.facebook.com/holidayshores/.

About GBX Group LLC
GBX Group LLC specializes in preserving and operating historic real estate in urban markets. GBX partners with property owners, developers, and local preservation organizations to acquire, redevelop, and preserve historic real estate, generating community revitalization and economic growth. Since its founding in 2001, GBX has completed over 135 projects in 21 states. For more about GBX, visit gbxgroup.com/.

About Coakley & Williams
Coakley & Williams is the preeminent provider of comprehensive hotel management services with a property portfolio that represents great hotel brands such as Hilton, IHG, Choice and Wyndham, as well as, independent boutique hotels, in many of the nation’s highest-performing hotel markets. Currently, Coakley & Williams manages over 3,000 rooms with 31 hotels in 10 states and the District of Columbia. These destinations include but are not limited to hotels near the historic Nation’s Capital, the sun filled coastal towns of Myrtle and Daytona Beach, and the theme park filled cities in Central Florida. Spanning almost five decades, our hotel management group has garnered a well-earned reputation for maximizing hotel assets through unmatched expertise with quality assurance, targeted marketing and progressive hotel administration systems. For more information contact Mike Lebby, Director of Development at mlebby@cwhotels.com.

About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc., a hospitality franchisor based in Rockville, Maryland, is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, owning several brands ranging from upscale to economy hotels representing 7,118 properties in 41 countries and territories worldwide, with approximately 597,018 rooms, in addition to 1,035 hotels under construction with 85,129 rooms.

Contact: Philip Winton, VP of Strategic Messaging, (216) 912-9705, pwinton@gbxgroup.com

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SOURCE GBX Group LLC

Porsche launches new scholarship and guest lecture series at Morehouse College

ATLANTA, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) is teaming up with Morehouse College to launch a new scholarship for business majors and a guest lecture series that will expose students to the global automotive industry. In the first year of PCNA’s first-ever gift to a college, the Porsche Scholarship will benefit 10 sophomores, juniors or seniors who are majoring in Business Administration or Economics and have at least a 3.3 grade point…

Through its collaboration with Morehouse, PCNA hopes to provide greater access to post-secondary education on an ongoing basis, while also inspiring students to pursue careers in the automotive industry. Beginning this spring, PCNA will also launch a virtual, in-classroom guest lecture series with Morehouse to bring real-world perspective from the automotive sector to course curriculum. PCNA will lend its expertise to students in courses such as Customer Relationship Management and Advance Corporate Finance, followed by other areas of study in years to come.

«Porsche supports institutions that share our commitment to the connected goals of quality education and social equity,» said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of PCNA. «Morehouse College is an acknowledged national model for developing the next generation of leaders, and a logical partner in our hometown of Atlanta. As a brand dedicated to delivering dreams, I am proud we can contribute to student development at Morehouse and cultivate a stronger connection between these future leaders and the mobility sector.»

«On behalf of Morehouse College, I would like to thank Porsche Cars North America for working with us to expand academic opportunities for our business students,» said David A. Thomas, President of Morehouse College. «Choosing Morehouse as the site of PCNA’s first college scholarship program shows that Porsche is committed to academic excellence and the development of leaders of color. We look forward to collaborating with Porsche experts in our classrooms and hope that this relationship will be the bridge that leads to more Morehouse students starting new careers in the automotive industry, a business sector in need of more diversity.»

«Porsche is an industry leader that cares about local communities and has demonstrated its support through philanthropy,» said Monique Dozier, Vice President of the Morehouse College Office of Institutional Advancement. «By establishing this relationship with Porsche Cars North America, our students will not only benefit as recipients of the first-ever PCNA college scholarship, but they will also receive some important insight about global business strategies in classes taught by Porsche employees. We appreciate PCNA’s generosity and commitment to higher education.»

Morehouse College has a nationally-acclaimed business program and is the top feeder school for Black men entering Harvard Business School. The College educates 2,100 students annually, 60 percent of whom come from families with household incomes of $40,000 or less. As the national epicenter for thought leadership on civil rights, Morehouse is committed to helping the nation address racial inequities, which have created disparities in income, employment, health care, housing, and educational opportunities for people of African descent.

About Porsche Cars North America, Inc. | One Porsche Drive, Atlanta, GA 30354 USA

Kjell Gruner is President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), where he is responsible for the United States. He also oversees Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. and Porsche Digital, Inc., the sports car manufacturer’s digital subsidiary in the U.S. Gruner’s complete bio is available at newsroom.porsche.com.

Established in 1984, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) is the exclusive U.S. importer of the Porsche 911, 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman, Macan, Cayenne, Panamera and Taycan. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, since 1998, PCNA is also home to the first Porsche Experience Center in North America featuring a module-based 1.6 mile driver development track, business center, and fine dining restaurant, 356. The company operates a second Porsche Experience Center near Los Angeles. That 53-acre complex features a driver development track with eight educational modules totaling 4.1 miles, a business center, and Restaurant 917. PCNA supports 192 independently owned and operated Porsche dealerships in the U.S., including supplying parts, service, marketing, and training. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the Porsche brand’s 70-year history of leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety, and efficiency. PCNA is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.

At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000-plus motorsport wins to date.

Photos and video footage are available to accredited journalists on the Porsche Press Database at http://press.porsche.com/.

About Morehouse College

Founded in 1867, Morehouse College is a private, liberal arts institution and the only historically Black college dedicated to educating men. Morehouse is the nation’s top producer of Black men who go on to receive doctorates and the top producer of Rhodes Scholars among HBCUs. The College was named to the list of U.S. institutions that produced the most Fulbright Scholars in 2019-2020. As the epicenter of thought leadership on civil rights, Morehouse is committed to helping the nation address the inequities caused by institutional racism, which has created social and economic disparities for people of African descent. Prominent Morehouse alumni include: Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Peace Prize laureate; Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. Surgeon General; Shelton «Spike» Lee, award-winning American filmmaker; Maynard H. Jackson, the first African American mayor of Atlanta; Jeh Johnson, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Louis W. Sullivan, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and founding dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine; Bakari Sellers, attorney and CNN political analyst; Randall Woodfin, elected as the youngest mayor of Birmingham in 120 years; and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, Georgia’s first Black U.S. senator. Morehouse currently has more than 18,000 alumni in 14 countries. For more information, visit: https://morehouse.edu.

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SOURCE Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

MPOWER Financing raises a $25M investment round to increase educational access for International and DACA students

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — MPOWER Financing, an innovative fintech platform and <a target="_blank"…

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — MPOWER Financing, an innovative fintech platform and the leading provider of educational loans to high-promise international and DACA students, announced that it recently raised $25M from Tilden Park Capital Management LP, a New York-based investment management firm.

Funds will support platform automation and team growth as MPOWER finances thousands of additional international and DACA students at over 350 universities across North America

«We’re humbled to be working with Tilden Park, and will substantially benefit from their capital markets and credit expertise, as well as their global investment experience,» said Manu Smadja, MPOWER Financing’s CEO and co-founder. «Tilden Park was attracted to MPOWER’s strong credit quality and social mission,» added Manu.

The funds come in addition to $9 million that MPOWER raised last year and will be invested in further automating MPOWER’s digital loan platform, which leverages proprietary underwriting technology to provide a loan decision to students within minutes. The funds will also help MPOWER grow its team in Washington, DC, and Bangalore, India where it plans to hire 50 + employees this year across Engineering, Marketing, Operations, Underwriting, Analytics, HR, and Finance.

MPOWER was named one of the best places to work in Washington DC, one of the best tech workplaces for diversity, and one of American Banker’s top fintech firms to work for the third year in a row. Predominantly ex-international students themselves, the MPOWER team directly relates to the challenges that international students face due to Covid and fast-changing immigration policies, and the company is honored to support international students at this critical time in history.

MPOWER Financing, headquartered in Washington, D.C., and with offices worldwide, is a mission-driven fintech company and provider of global educational loans. It is the only student lender in the world that leverages both overseas and domestic credit data, as well as future earning potential, to serve high-promise international and DACA students. MPOWER Financing works with over 350 top universities and colleges across the U.S. and Canada to provide financing to students from over 200 countries. Since 2014, it has received over $2B in loan application volume on its platform. MPOWER Financing helps students build their credit histories and provides them with personal finance education and career support to help prepare for life after school.

Tilden Park Capital Management LP is a multi-strategy fixed-income-focused alternative asset manager headquartered in New York City. The firm concentrates primarily on structured products and mortgages, fixed income relative value and related corporate credit and equity strategies. Tilden Park is led by Chief Investment Officer Josh Birnbaum, who previously co-managed trading at Goldman Sachs’ Structured Products Group.

Media Contact:
Sasha Ramani
202-417-3800
sasha.ramani@mpowerfinancing.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1426042/MPOWER_Financing.jpg

SOURCE MPOWER Financing

Expanding tech start-up Carsfast launches operations in St Louis

PHOENIX, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Direct from its success in Arizona, Illinois and Texas, new digital start-up Carsfast is now expanding its unique car buying and financing services throughout Missouri, starting in St Louis.

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St Louis locals have recently welcomed this contactless service which allows people to shop and get finance for thousands of near new cars direct from their cell phone. With operations expanding to other local regions later this month, Carsfast will change the way St Louis locals buy their next car.

«We are thrilled to launch this new Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in the St Louis market,» explains CEO and co-founder Shaun Sumaru and «we know that the locals of St Louis and throughout Missouri are looking for an alternative to physically shopping around for cars. We wanted to simplify and personalise this process for them.»

After seeing success throughout other states in America, expansion to the broader Missouri state was the obvious next step. The Carsfast team have developed the new technology shifting interactions entirely to text message so that all buyers have a personalized and tailored experience without ever having to physically see anyone. «Everything is completely contactless. We even organize the car to be delivered direct to your door and sort out credit offers without you ever having to see a single salesman or broker,» explains Shaun.

Carsfast is completely free to use and will connect people living in St Louis with more than 45,000 near new cars, trucks and SUVs. That’s equivalent to more than 300 traditional car yards, all on your phone. This new technology will revolutionize the car buying process. It’s the smart new way for people to shop and finance their next car.

About Carsfast

Carsfast is a next-generation digital car dealership. It exists to offer buyers cars and credit directly from their phone with zero friction. Our proprietary technology combines customers preferences and credit with our broad lender panel and vast inventory. The outcome is a selection of cars that perfectly matched to the buyer’s exact profile.

Media Contact: Dee Gligorevic, Marketing Director dee@carsfast.com

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SOURCE Carsfast

VinSolutions’ Virtual Assistant Vinessa Uses AI to Help Salespeople Pursue and Convert More Leads In A Tight Market

MISSION, Kan., Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As dealerships look for new ways to connect with customers outside of the showroom and pursue leads in today’s digital world, technology is becoming an increasingly useful addition to sales teams. Vinessa™, VinSolutions’ AI-powered, CRM-integrated virtual assistant, allows salespeople to prioritize their time more efficiently thanks to the ability to vet leads by providing human-like customer engagement at the early stages of the sales process. With Vinessa’s help, salespeople can guide more customers through their unique paths to purchase, increase conversion rates and ultimately boost profits for the entire business.

«Dealership staff are tasked with filtering through massive volumes of online leads–-and dedicating the necessary resources to vetting and communicating with every customer can get in the way of salespeople doing what they do best—selling vehicles and closing deals,» said Tracy Fred, vice president of operations for Cox Automotive brands VinSolutions, Xtime and Dealertrack DMS. «As the consumer path to purchase continues to evolve and default to digital, it also means a 24/7 sales cycle. Dealerships need to be ready to engage with prospects around the clock in a scalable and cost-effective way.»

Using CRM artificial intelligence, machine learning and data provided by the dealership, Vinessa can answer questions from online and showroom sales leads about inventory availability, vehicle features and more, as well as schedule follow-up tasks for staff. Vinessa provides more qualified leads and ensures that no sales opportunity falls through the cracks whether an early-stage lead or one submitted after hours. With data provided by the dealership, Vinessa is also supported by VinSolutions Performance Managers who will help ensure the dealer gets the most out of the tool so partners can be confident that Vinessa is effectively guiding customers through their unique paths to purchase and delivering sales conversions.

Vinessa’s key features include:

CRM Integration that captures all customer communication from Vinessa directly within the customer record, with in-CRM alerts to ensure preparedness when meeting the customer where they are in the car buying process.
Appointment Setting that enables salespeople to stay focused on advanced selling tasks with Vinessa’s ability to schedule showroom appointments with customers on a salesperson’s behalf.
Lead Nurturing to engage customers 24/7, Vinessa can respond to leads after hours and follow up on conversations when salespeople are unavailable.
Smart Conversations using powerful artificial intelligence and natural language processing Vinessa can understand customer questions and provide real-time answers about inventory and schedule follow-up appointments to keep customers moving through the journey to purchase.
Reporting Features record and detail all of Vinessa’s customer interactions in a dashboard to help dealership staff better understand and measure Vinessa’s contribution to sales.
Customizable Engagement Settings allow dealers to control how and when Vinessa responds to leads, including who to assign appointments to and if Vinessa should automatically turn off when a salesperson takes over customer communication directly.
Connect Automotive Intelligence Integration enables Sentiment Analysis on customer interactions with Vinessa when the products are combined, which allows dealers to identify trends in customer communication and quickly resolve issues in the event of dissatisfaction.

«Vinessa is not only a backstop for missed communications; it’s also a strong driver for two-way communications. I strongly believe our two-way connections, appointment set rate, and customer satisfaction will all continue to improve,» said Chad Humm, Digital Performance Manager at D-Patrick Auto Group in Evansville, Indiana. «We chose Vinessa over other virtual assistant tools based on its integrations with all of our Cox Automotive tools especially with Connect CRM. Vinessa’s conversations live in the CRM.»

To learn more about Vinessa, the VinSolutions Virtual Assistant, visit www.VinSolutions.com.

About VinSolutions
As the provider of Connect CRM, Connect Automotive Intelligence, and the supporting suite of Connect solutions, VinSolutions helps more than 6,000 dealers make every connection count. VinSolutions’ industry-leading tools—including customizable customer relationship management, artificial intelligence, and desking—help dealerships drive more leads, increase profits, and accelerate the path to purchase. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Mission, Kansas, VinSolutions fosters dealership success by providing a fully customizable suite of solutions, including equity mining, market pricing and desking tools, combined with the continuous, personal support of a designated Performance Manager. VinSolutions is OEM certified by every major manufacturer and is Autosoft, CDK, Reynolds & Reynolds and Dealertrack DMS certified. www.vinsolutions.com

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using vehicles easier for everyone. The global company’s more than 27,000 team members and family of brands, including Autotrader^®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com^®, Dealertrack^®, Kelley Blue Book^®, Manheim^®, NextGear Capital^®, VinSolutions^®, vAuto^® and Xtime^®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with annual revenues of nearly $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com

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SOURCE VinSolutions

Bbot Increases Funding to $7.3 Million with New Seed Investment from Rally Ventures

NEW YORK, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Bbot Inc., a restaurant and hospitality tech startup dedicated to simplifying and improving the ordering and payment process, today announced the closing of a $4 million seed extension funding round. Rally Ventures, a national leader in early-stage business technology investing, led the round, with participation from existing investor Craft Ventures, an early-stage venture fund. With this latest seed extension round, the company’s total funding is now $7.3 million.

The financing will allow Bbot to hire new talent, accelerate its product development and deepen its focus on providing exceptional service to its hundreds of hospitality customers. In 2021, the company will deliver a new feature that reinvents the traditional bar tab by allowing guests and servers to both add to and place orders on a joint tab. Additionally, this year Bbot plans to release its own API, to give hospitality tech partners the ability to build on the Bbot infrastructure.

«We are proud to partner with restaurants, bars and hotels to provide technology solutions that help them make their operations more efficient, convenient and safer for guests, as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for what’s next,» said Steven Simoni, CEO of Bbot. «Making our robust and configurable platform available to other industry partners through our own API was a natural next step and opportunity to deepen our exposure within the industry. With this additional funding in place, we will be able to continue to grow Bbot’s reach and deliver a more seamless experience to all of our hospitality customers.»

Founded in 2017, Bbot helps restaurants, bars, hotels, food halls and other hospitality organizations create digital menus and enable guest-controlled ordering and payment. With Bbot, guests can easily access menus and pay through any smartphone by using QR or location codes right from their tables at the venue. No sign up or app download is required. The company recently won the Hotel Tech Report Award for best in mobile ordering & room service.

«Bbot has a truly impressive infrastructure and has out-built other, more seasoned tech companies in their category by a long shot, with a fraction of the resources,» said Justin Kaufenberg, managing director of Rally Ventures. «In the wake of COVID-19, the hospitality industry has a bigger need than ever for seamless technology solutions that can help them streamline operations and increase their margins. Bbot is well-positioned and proven to help them achieve both.»

«We’re excited to work with Rally Ventures and Bbot to support the evolution of the hospitality industry,» said Jeff Fluhr, general partner at Craft Ventures. «Our continued investment in Bbot reflects our confidence in the company’s ability to expand their footprint, develop exciting technology, and serve as a valuable partner to the hospitality industry as they navigate a new normal.»

Bbot Inc. Press Contact:
Cara Morgan, Tandem Marketing Communications
caramorgan@tandemcomms.com

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SOURCE Bbot Inc.

MPOWER Financing raises a $25M investment round to increase educational access for International and DACA students

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — MPOWER Financing, an innovative fintech platform and <a target="_blank"…

Media Contact:
Sasha Ramani
202-417-3800
sasha.ramani@mpowerfinancing.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1426042/MPOWER_Financing.jpg

SOURCE MPOWER Financing

In Honor of National Plan for Vacation Day, Discover Puerto Rico and JetBlue Invite You to Block Time Off for a Future Vacation

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Discover Puerto Rico, the Island’s non-profit Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), JetBlue and San Juan Marriott invite travelers to pick any week of 2021 and block their calendars to vacation in Puerto Rico and enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win round-trip travel certificates and lodging to Puerto Rico. Studies show that taking the simple first step of blocking the time for a future vacation will increase chances of following through with plans, while also increasing happiness levels.

Starting today on National Plan for Vacation Day, through February 10, travelers are encouraged to simply block time off for an upcoming trip. Participants itching for an escape to Puerto Rico can then enter the sweepstakes by following three easy steps after reading the official rules:

Pick any week in 2021 to block on a digital calendar as vacation
Include «Fly JetBlue to Puerto Rico» as the subject line
Include Vacation@DiscoverPuertoRico.com as a participant on the calendar entry and press send

Three (3) Grand Prize winners will be selected to win two roundtrip JetBlue travel certificates to Puerto Rico (not inclusive of government taxes and fees), plus a 6 day/5 night stay at the San Juan Marriott, a beachside resort in the heart of Condado, with easy access to explore the city or spend time on the beach. Additionally, one hundred (100) participants will receive a goodie bag with travel swag to use once they take a vacation.

«Puerto Rico is a great option for travelers seeking warm temperatures, rich history, abundant natural attractions, delectable cuisine and an international flair,» said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. «The Island is an ideal place to visit when responsible travelers are ready, given the prioritization of health and safety measures and entry requirements in place to ensure a safe vacation.»

«As the largest airline in Puerto Rico, we’re excited to launch a partnership with Discover Puerto Rico encouraging travelers to choose days for a future vacation to the island,» said Elizabeth Windram, vice president of marketing, JetBlue. «With so much pent up travel demand, we look forward to welcoming customers whenever they are ready to Fly JetBlue to Puerto Rico, knowing they can count on us to deliver a safe travel experience and an award-winning service.»

For more information about Puerto Rico and travel inspiration, visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Discover Puerto Rico
Discover Puerto Rico is a newly established private, not for-profit Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) whose mission is to make Puerto Rico visible to the world as a premier travel destination. The DMO brings prosperity to the people of Puerto Rico by collaboratively promoting the Island’s diversity and uniqueness for leisure and business travel, and events. It is responsible for all global marketing, sales and promotion of the destination and works collaboratively with key local governmental and non-governmental players throughout Puerto Rico’s visitor economy and community at large, to empower economic growth. To discover all the beauty the Island has to offer, visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

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SOURCE Discover Puerto Rico