COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Lower is announcing the hiring of industry trailblazer Adam Wiener as its new president. Wiener will lead Lower’s technology, marketing, data science, and direct-to-consumer sales organizations. He will focus on growing Lower’s brand, both online and offline, and oversee the development of LowerOS, Lower’s proprietary technology to dramatically improve the lending experience for borrowers and loan officers. 

Wiener graduated from Stanford in 2002 and cut his teeth working in program management for Microsoft’s SQL Server division. In 2007, he left Microsoft for Redfin, a technology-powered real-estate company, helping to lead the business through its IPO in 2017 and on to nearly $1B in revenue in 2023. 

Over his 16-year career at Redfin, he led Redfin’s marketing and growth initiatives, generating over $100B in real estate transactions. He also founded and ran their mortgage and title businesses and culminated his career there as the president of real estate services, leading a nationwide sales organization with over 3,000 real estate agents and sales support professionals.

“There are few executives in our industry that have successfully leveraged both technology and the human touch to build a game-changing company, and Adam is one. What he did at Redfin is nothing short of amazing, and we are excited for him to work with our already talented team to make Lower the best platform for consumers and the loan officers they work with,” said Lower CEO and Co-Founder Dan Snyder.

Wiener states, “Joining the team at Lower was a no-brainer. The company’s impressive growth over the last 12 months when the overall mortgage market has been in a funk speaks volumes about the strength of Lower’s business. Lower’s investment in cutting-edge technology with its commitment to world-class customer service positions it for explosive growth in the years to come. I am thrilled to work with Lower’s leading mortgage voices to accelerate that growth.” 

Lower is a multi-channel, digital home finance company, backed by Accel, SoFi, and Veritex Bank. It is the 28th largest lender nationally, and operates an online consumer-direct channel, offline retail channel, and third-party origination platform servicing mortgage brokers and other fintech platforms who supplement their core offerings with Lower’s mortgage-origination capabilities. 

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SOURCE Lower, LLC

Award recognizes Best of the Best in New Global Design

QUEBEC CITY, Jan. 14, 2025 /CNW/ - FLO, a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging company and a smart charging solutions provider, has been awarded a prestigious 2024 Good Design® Award. The new FLO Ultra fast charger was recognized as one of the year’s ‘Best of the Best’ in new transportation design.

“Recognitions like this highlight FLO’s dedication to innovation, accessibility, and delivering the best charging experience for EV drivers,” said Jeff Dion, FLO Vice President of Product. “The FLO Ultra charger features user friendly design in a modular package allowing for both  a smooth and reliable experience for drivers and hassle-free operation for station owners.”

The Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design is the world’s first and oldest and longest running design prize that honors design achievements in all its disciplines: from product, packaging, communication and service design, architecture, and interior architecture to user interface (UI), user experience (UX), and professional concept.

“From the thousands of designers and manufacturers who participated this year, the winners of GOOD DESIGN for 2024 have proved that they have created excellent products worthy of winning an award. The products won over the jury not only through their aesthetic, but also thanks to their incomparable functionality. With their designs, the award winners are setting the highest standards in their industry. I wish to congratulate them most sincerely on their continued success,” said Christian Narkiewicz-Laine, Architecture and Design Critic and Chief Curator of Good Design.

From a short list of over 4,500 submissions, entries were judged on nine criteria, including degree of innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics, durability, ecological compatibility, and symbolic and emotional content. The final jury selected products and graphics worthy of the GOOD DESIGN Award as a testament to the exceptional quality of the product design and the bold unwavering commitment of the designers and manufacturers behind them.

About the FLO Ultra EV Charging Station

The FLO Ultra EV charging station offers innovative features designed to enhance the charging experience for both drivers and site owners:

Versatile Charging Options: Designed to meet all drivers’ needs and to accommodate charging from all angles, including parallel, pull-in, or on both sides, allowing for flexible parking options. The charger features the FLO EZLift motorized cable management system, promoting accessibility and reducing strain on the user.High-Speed Charging: Each FLO Ultra station features two 160kW ports housed in a durable aluminum enclosure, enabling rapid charging in a compact design.Rugged and Weather-Resistant: Built with recyclable aluminum, the enclosure is designed to withstand extreme weather conditions.Always Connected: The FLO Ultra charger is integrated into the FLO network, providing 24/7 remote monitoring for swift diagnostics and proactive maintenance.Easy Maintenance for Site Owners: Designed for hassle-free servicing, with large front and back doors and modular components for efficient replacements.

The FLO Ultra charger is in production and is available to customers in Canada and the U.S. 

FLO®, FLO EZLiftTM and FLO UltraTM are registered or unregistered trademarks of Services FLO Inc.

About FLO 

FLO is a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and a smart charging solutions provider. We help to overcome climate change and accelerate EV adoption through a vertically integrated business model and by delivering EV drivers the best charging experience from curbside to countryside. Every month, we enable more than 2 million charging events thanks to over 120,000 fast and level 2 EV charging stations deployed at public, private and residential locations. FLO operates its network across North America with facilities in Michigan and Quebec. To learn more about what “EV charging done right™” means to us, visit  flo.com.  

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SOURCE FLO

ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In the presence of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) today announced the launch of the world’s first large-scale ’round the clock’ gigascale project, combining solar power and battery storage in Abu Dhabi.

The launch was announced by His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, and His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment and Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of ADQ.

The launch marks a pivotal moment in the clean energy transformation, allowing renewable energy to be dispatched 24 hours a day, seven days a week, reaffirming the UAE’s position as a global pioneer in renewable energy deployment.

Delivering up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of baseload power every day generated from renewable energy, it will be the largest combined solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) in the world.

Located in Abu Dhabi, the project will feature a 5.2GW (DC) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, coupled with a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS, setting a global benchmark in clean energy innovation.

His Excellency Dr, Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, said, “For decades, the biggest barrier facing renewable energy has been intermittency—to be able to source uninterrupted clean power day and night. This has been the moonshot challenge of our time, and now, thanks to the resolute support of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with this groundbreaking project we have found the solution. In collaboration with EWEC and our partners, we will develop a renewable energy facility capable of providing clean energy round the clock. For the first time ever, this will transform renewable energy into a world-leading 1GW of reliable baseload energy every day on an unprecedented scale – a first step that could become a giant leap for the world.”

This initiative demonstrates the remarkable scale and ambition of the UAE’s energy transformation, delivering clean energy to power advancements in emerging technologies. The world-leading project reflects the vision and commitment of the UAE leadership in driving socioeconomic and environmental progress.

His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment and Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of ADQ, said, “The accelerated integration of solar power and advanced battery energy storage sets a new benchmark in clean energy, driving sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. By advancing energy infrastructure, we are leading the way in developing cost-effective, scalable renewable energy, solidifying Abu Dhabi’s position as a key player in shaping the future of global energy. Guided by the UAE leadership, this united effort within the energy sector powers the nation’s technological advancement, ushering in a new era of intelligence, resilience, flexibility, and commercial opportunity while ensuring sustainable and uninterrupted energy for exponential growth.”

Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, said, “By launching the world’s largest solar PV and Battery Energy Storage System, Abu Dhabi is setting a new global standard for sustainable energy development and innovation. This landmark project embodies EWEC’s unwavering commitment to decarbonising the energy sector while driving the UAE’s socioeconomic growth. As the backbone of the nation’s clean energy transition, this facility supports critical industries such as AI and advanced technologies, ensuring their power needs are met sustainably and reliably.

“This project not only underscores Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as a leader in utility-scale renewable energy innovation but also cements EWEC’s role in ensuring energy security for future generations. Collaborating with partners like Masdar and TAQA Transmission to facilitate the development of network infrastructure enables the achievement of our transformational milestones that accelerate the UAE’s journey to achieving its Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative.”

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said, “Developed in the UAE by Masdar, this record-breaking project will create over 10,000 new jobs, driving innovation and economic growth. As Masdar’s largest and most ambitious project to date, combining an incredible 5.2GW of solar PV with 19GW hours of battery storage – the largest ever for a power utility project – this is truly clean energy on an unprecedented scale. Masdar, EWEC, and its valued project partners are setting a new global benchmark in technological innovation to address the challenge of renewable energy intermittency to generate 1GW of clean, uninterrupted power 24 hours a day, round the clock.”

The solar PV and BESS facility will provide unparalleled stability and efficiency by overcoming the intermittency challenges of renewable energy. The 19GWh battery storage facility will enable seamless integration of solar power into the grid.

By integrating state-of-the-art renewable technologies with energy storage solutions, this landmark project exemplifies the UAE’s commitment to scaling innovative clean energy solutions to meet evolving energy demands. This initiative also supports the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, and the facility will play a transformative role in energy systems, ensuring the UAE continues to lead by example in delivering towards the historic UAE Consensus agreed at COP28.

About Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) is a global platform supported by the UAE and its clean energy leader, Masdar, to address the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges through crucial conversations accelerating responsible development and fostering inclusive economic, social and environmental progress. 

For more than 15 years, ADSW has convened decision-makers from governments, the private sector and civil society to advance the global sustainability agenda through dialogue, cross-sector collaboration and impactful solutions. Throughout the year, ADSW conversations and initiatives facilitate knowledge sharing and collective action that will ensure a sustainable world for future generations. 

About Masdar 

Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) is one of the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy companies. As a global clean energy pioneer, Masdar is advancing the development and deployment of solar, wind, geothermal, battery storage and green hydrogen technologies to accelerate energy systems transformation and help the world meet its net-zero ambitions. Established in 2006, Masdar developed and invested in projects in over 40 countries with a combined capacity of over 31.5 gigawatts (GW), providing affordable clean energy access to those who need it most and helping to power a more sustainable future. 

Masdar is jointly owned by TAQA, ADNOC, and Mubadala, and is targeting a renewable energy portfolio capacity of 100GW by 2030 while aiming to be a leading producer of green hydrogen by the same year.

For more information, please visit: https://www.masdar.ae and connect: facebook.com/Masdar.ae and twitter.com/Masdar

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SOURCE Masdar