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Sipsey Fork, Alabama: 49 Years of Protected Wilderness Waterfall Bliss

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A decade after passage of the landmark Wilderness Act of 1964, which turns 60 this year, the Sipsey Fork watershed in Bankhead National Forest became the first federally designated wilderness area east of the Mississippi. These protected areas offer visitors authentic experiences and benefit the small rural communities that are located nearby.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Spanning 25,000 acres and boasting too many mesmerizing falling-water features to count, Sipsey Fork Wilderness area remains a first-rate place of protected natural habitat magnificence and ecological resilience.

Wilderness areas are of irrepressible importance as unique and scenic native wildlife habitats, and places of serenity refuge for humans.

It was owing to its enchanting character as a sparkling sylvan paradise that the Sipsey Fork watershed became the first federally designated wilderness area in the Eastern United States in 1975.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 had up to then been interpreted to focus on protecting the West. Public lands in the East weren’t initially seen as large enough nor sufficiently free of industrial impacts to warrant inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

An Eastern Wilderness Movement — led by advocates like Alabamians Mary Ivy Burks and John Randolph — emerged and convincingly argued for tract designations in the East, not so much for their size and “untouched” nature, but for their irrepressible importance as unique and scenic native wildlife habitats, and places of serenity refuge for humans.

The nation took notice, and the Sipsey was first listed among 15 other areas earning new designations under the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act, signed by President Gerald Ford on Jan. 3, 1975 — 50 years ago in January next year.

For the small, rural communities nearby, outdoor recreation attracts a large influx of money in the form of people who seek recreation. Between 2021 and 2022, outdoor recreation grew 4.8 percent compared to 1.9 percent for all domestic economic activity according to the U.S Bureau of Commerce. Job growth doubled in the same period of time. Federal wilderness tracts make towns and businesses around them more attractive and better able to compete for adventure tourism dollars.

Jessica Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, recently commented that the robust outdoor adventure economy America is currently enjoying “shows that sustained investment in outdoor recreation and protection of our shared public lands and waters pays huge dividends for our local and national economies and quality of life.”

Near the Sipsey Fork Wilderness area is the small city of Russellville, AL. With a population of a little more than 10,000 residents, the Franklin County seat is a tapestry of history, hometown spirit and rural-connected culture. It is also a perfect staging area for a foray into Bankhead National Forest, or a landing zone for relaxation, beverage quaffing and sustenance intake after a rewarding day on the trails.

Like Main Street communities throughout the Yellowhammer State and all of Southern Appalachia, Russellville’s downtown businesses and civic leaders are committed to spurring prosperity and sustained livability by keeping connected to surrounding outdoor recreation, family farming and authentic country lifestyle.

“Part of what makes Russellville such a vibrant and flourishing community is the incredible range of nearby outdoor recreation opportunities in and around Franklin County,” said Tami Reist, President & CEO of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Association and a member of the Main Street Alabama governing board.

The TRV Stewardship Council recognizes the visionaries that led to a network of public lands in the east for people to enjoy and explore. As national and state park systems have increasingly added entry fees, national forests, wilderness areas, and TVA public lands offer authentic wilderness experience for hikers, backcountry camping, and paddling adventurists. In each month of 2024, the Council will share stories on the ExploreTRV site about wilderness areas located in the seven state footprint of the Tennessee River Valley.

Media Contact
Julie Graham, TRV Stewardship Council, 8655850811, exploretrv@gmail.com, https://www.trvstewardshipcouncil.org/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/sipsey-fork-alabama-49-years-of-protected-wilderness-waterfall-bliss-302064178.html

SOURCE TRV Stewardship Council

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Galloway Company Expansion Nearly Doubles United States Industrial Sweetened Condensed Milk Capacity

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NEENAH, Wis., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Galloway Company, a leader in premium dairy ingredients, announces the completion of a major expansion to its production capabilities. The addition of a custom-built evaporator will nearly double the United States’ total capacity for industrial sweetened condensed milk. The expansion comes at a critical time, relieving a highly constrained market for premium concentrated dairy ingredients in the United States.

The expansion will set new industry benchmarks in capacity, operational efficiency, and quality.

The expansion will allow the company to serve existing clients with the same premium quality ingredients they’ve come to rely on, while also welcoming new customers for the first time in four years.

“Over the last four years, we’ve seen growing constraints from the bakery and confectionery markets, with extended lead times and maxed-out production capacities,” said Mike Hasler, Director of Industrial Sales, Galloway Company. “This expansion ensures we can not only meet the demand of our existing customers but also welcome new business.”

With the addition of the second evaporator, Galloway Company is building redundancy into its production process, minimizing the risk of service interruptions for clients. The new system will also enable greater customization of products, allowing the company to meet the needs of clients of all sizes—from full tanker trucks to smaller batches packaged in totes and 5-gallon pails.

The expansion will set new industry benchmarks in capacity, operational efficiency, and quality. The upgraded system includes high-efficiency motors and precision-engineered valve systems, with a fully automated homogenization process, advanced lactose seeding technologies, and state-of-the-art cooling systems. These updates minimize energy consumption and reduce environmental impact while advanced quality control measures ensure consistent performance and accuracy. 

For more information or to place an order, please visit gallowaycompany.com or contact Mike Hasler at mhasler@gallowaycompany.com.

About Galloway Company

Galloway Company is the number one supplier of cream liqueur bases and sweetened condensed milk in the U.S. Located in Neenah, Wisconsin, Galloway specializes in producing unique formulations of condensed dairy blends and beverage bases. Classic Mix Partners, a subsidiary of Galloway Company, is the largest manufacturer of frozen dairy dessert mixes in Wisconsin, serving customers nationwide. For more information on our complete line of innovative dairy product mixes and bases, visit gallowaycompany.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/galloway-company-expansion-nearly-doubles-united-states-industrial-sweetened-condensed-milk-capacity-302346533.html

SOURCE Galloway Company

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SOCi Scales its AI Agent Solutions While Bolstering Path to Profitability

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SAN DIEGO, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SOCi, Inc., the leader in AI-powered marketing solutions for multi-location businesses, today announced initial results from its AI Agent strategy. In less than eight months, SOCi’s Genius AI™ solutions now account for more than 10% of the company’s annual recurring revenue (ARR). These results cap off a year of remarkable milestones for SOCi, including surpassing $100 million in ARR—a feat that places the company among the elite Centaur SaaS organizations globally.

In 2025, the company plans to continue to enhance and expand its advanced Genius AI™ technology, allowing SOCi’s AI Agents to take on even more local marketing tasks at scale and deliver unprecedented efficiency and value for SOCi’s nearly 1,000 multi-location customers. Additionally, SOCi is committed to accelerating its journey to profitability by strategically realigning resources to focus on high-impact areas with proven success. This reorganization is designed to enhance efficiency, drive scalability, and position the company for sustainable, long-term growth.

“We remain committed to revolutionizing the industry with our AI Agent innovation and Genius solutions, delivering the first digital workforce to drive unparalleled value for our customers,” said Afif Khoury, CEO of SOCi. “Simultaneously, we are focused on achieving sustainable growth by prioritizing financial stability and operational efficiency, solidifying our position as the leader in marketing innovation.”

Recently recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company for the seventh consecutive year, and named one of Fast Company Most Innovative Companies, SOCi continues to expand its reach into new high-growth markets with its cutting-edge local marketing solutions. Over the past two years, the company has forged partnerships with iconic enterprises such as Ford, Jersey Mike’s Subs, and Ace Hardware, while establishing a strong presence in the Financial Services and Insurance sectors with notable partners like Liberty Tax and Motto Mortgage.

About SOCi, Inc.
SOCi is the leader in AI-powered marketing solutions for multi-location businesses. With its proprietary Genius AI™ and suite of Genius Agents™, SOCi provides a first-of-its-kind, AI-powered digital workforce capable of handling the workload of 1,000 local marketers™, empowering brands to achieve unmatched digital visibility, strengthen customer engagement, and scale faster than ever before.

SOCi is recognized by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, and is trusted by nearly 1,000 top brands—including Ford, Ace Hardware, Kumon, Liberty Tax, and more—to automate and optimize local marketing tasks across all locations. Founded in 2012 and backed by leading strategic investors, SOCi is transforming how multi-location brands manage and scale their marketing efforts. Learn more at www.soci.ai or contact us at hello@soci.ai.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/soci-scales-its-ai-agent-solutions-while-bolstering-path-to-profitability-302346626.html

SOURCE SOCi, Inc.

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Verdantas Acquires M-H-M, Inc. Expanding Water Services Throughout Northern California

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TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Verdantas, a leader in digitally enabled technical consulting solutions for the environment, water, and energy transition markets, backed by Sterling Investment Partners, is pleased to announce the acquisition of M-H-M, Inc. (MHM). The acquisition aims to enhance Verdantas’ expertise in the northern California water market and expand the services offered by both firms.

Based in Marysville, California, MHM brings invaluable expertise and experience to Verdantas, broadening the depth and range of services within the water, and land development markets with strong relationships with municipalities, public agencies, and private clients. The integration of MHM into Verdantas enhances its water service capabilities bringing valuable expertise in water supply and storage, distribution, irrigation, water master planning, flood control, storm drainage, as well as land development and surveying.

Jesse Kropelnicki, CEO of Verdantas, stated about the acquisition: “Integrating MHM into Verdantas will continue our growth strategy by further diversifying our business on the west coast, and by furthering our capabilities in the water market. This expansion enhances our expertise and ability to serve water clients more effectively in northern California. Additionally, MHM improves our land development and surveying capabilities, which will enhance other services we provide in the same geography. We look forward to providing their team with new opportunities for growth while they continue to contribute to our mission.”

California brings unique engineering design complexities. By partnering with Verdantas, we can now integrate robust in-house geotechnical and geological, structural engineering, and environmental expertise into our projects that we previously outsourced,” stated Sean Minard, President of MHM. “Our collaboration with Verdantas aims to expand our service offerings, providing comprehensive solutions in flood control, storm drainage, and water resource management as well as land development. This growth will add value to our current clients in Northern California, enabling us to deliver a more extensive suite of engineering and environmental solutions.”

James Soldano, Partner at Sterling, said, “We are proud to support Verdantas in this strategic acquisition of MHM. This move reflects our shared vision of growing Verdantas’ presence throughout the western United States and addresses the critical need for water-related expertise in a region facing challenges related to water resources and flood control.”

This acquisition is a vital component of the company’s sustainable service offerings objectives. By participating in significant projects, Verdantas plans to address critical water challenges, advocate for conservation, improve water quality, and encourage sustainable practices.

About Verdantas

Verdantas is a leader in digitally enabled technical consulting solutions for the environment, water, and energy transition markets. Blending balanced strengths in environmental and engineering expertise, we partner with clients and communities to create comprehensive solutions that contribute to a sustainable future. With a team of over 1,700 professionals nationwide, we harness diverse skills and innovative technologies to address complex challenges, protect vital resources, and foster resilient communities. For more information, visit www.verdantas.com.

About Sterling Investment Partners

Sterling Investment Partners is a leading private equity firm that has been building leading middle-market companies for over 30 years with a highly experienced, cohesive team of senior investment professionals. Sterling focuses on control investments in value-added distribution and business services, acquiring businesses that the firm believes have strong, sustainable competitive advantages and significant opportunities for value creation. Over its history, Sterling has completed over 230 transactions, representing over $31 billion in aggregate value, and was recently ranked a Top 10 performing middle market private equity firm globally by Dow Jones-HEC Paris. For more information, visit www.sterlinglp.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verdantas-acquires-m-h-m-inc-expanding-water-services-throughout-northern-california-302346364.html

SOURCE Verdantas LLC

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