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Cell Phones for Soldiers partners with AI reverse logisitics giant Vendidit, relocates fulfillment operations to Austin area

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The revered charity processes nearly 7,000 devices a month to help veterans, will create new jobs

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cell Phones for Soldiers, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing cost-free communication services to servicemen and women since 2004 has selected Austin-based Vendidit to handle their fulfillment process.

Under the new partnership, Vendidit will serve as the secure conduit for donations to the nonprofit from both businesses and individuals alike.

“When people send us their devices, they undergo a thorough inspection process to ensure they are in good condition for our veterans. This is crucial work, and we are confident that Vendidit is the ideal fulfillment partner to guarantee that this process is carried out securely and efficiently. By doing so, we can ensure that people’s generous donations reach those Veterans who need them as quickly as possible,” said Rob Bergquist, the founder of Cell Phones for Soldiers.

The organization currently processes about 7,000 devices every month and gets them in the hands of veterans who could not otherwise afford them. For devices that can’t be salvaged for ‘upcycling,’ Vendidit will responsibly recycle them and keep them out of landfills. In addition to cell phones, the charity also accepts portable devices such as MP3 players, tablets and calling cards.

Donations can be sent to the Vendidit warehouse, located at 18919 N. Heatherwilde Boulevard, Suite 125 in Pflugerville, TX, 78660. This location will also be hiring veterans for new jobs.

Vendidit launched earlier this year, as the newest co-creation of reverse logistics leader, Gary Stephens, and one of Austin’s most famous businessmen, John Paul DeJoria, who also co-founded The Patron Spirits Company and Paul Mitchell hair products.

DeJoria is famous for not only his entrepreneurship, but also his philanthropy. Once homeless himself, he continues to find new ways to give back to those who need it the most through the companies he invests in.

The homeless veteran population has surged over the past few years, as has the suicide rate. On average, the veteran suicide rate is 57% higher than the rest of the American population. “With statistics like these, donating to Cell Phones for Soldiers is a literal lifeline to help unhoused veterans who often don’t have a phone or any way to seek vital support, such as calling a suicide hotline,” said Jennifer Gooding of Narwhal Media Group, a spokesperson for the partnership.

The relationship between the two organizations started decades ago when Bergquist’s work caught the attention of Stephens. “I’ve known Rob since he created this incredible nonprofit when he was just a kid,” said Stephens, “The fact that it is still going strong 20 years later is a testament to not only the generous people and organizations that donate, but to his relentless dedication of making sure the charity thrived far past its inception. We at Vendidit are honored to be part of making the next 20 years even stronger than the first.”

About Cell Phones for Soldiers

Cell Phones for Soldiers is a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services and emergency funding to active-duty military members and veterans. Since 2004, the charity has provided more than 400 million minutes of airtime to servicemen and women deployed around the world, by recycling more than 25 million cell phones reducing the impact on landfills. 

About Vendidit

Vendidit is a proprietary, end-to-end software platform that connects qualified secondary market buyers with retail returns sellers to drive maximum value for returns. The platform puts interested parties together seamlessly and simultaneously when returned products have the highest value. It was co-founded by renowned entrepreneurs John Paul DeJoria and Gary Stephens and other reverse logistics industry veterans who saw a problem to be solved: retailers have returns inventory they can’t sell efficiently, and secondary market sellers (who can move inventory for them) don’t have enough of it or an efficient way to procure it.  In five words, Vendidit converts limited inventory into cash.

About Gary Stephens

Gary is a visionary technology executive and is an industry thought leader in reverse logisitics. He is the imagineer of both Vendidit, launched in 2024, and Renew Logic, which he started from a single pallet of recyclables in 2016. His previous career includes work on the Windows 95 launch team, being head of Windows NT updates under Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates and building a third electronics recycling company from scratch to $400M. His positive contributions to ethical business practices and industry improvements led to testifying before Congress in 2018 about smart, diverse employment policies. Beyond tech, Gary’s diverse passions include race car driving, piloting and philanthropy – particularly helping dog rescues. He’s a proven leader, blending business acumen with a profound commitment to societal impact.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Gooding
Narwhal Media Group
jgooding@narwhalmediagroup.com
646.981.0278

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SOURCE Vendidit

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Management change at X-CAGO: Ingo Kästner takes over the reins

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December 19, 2024

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BERLIN and ROERMOND, Netherlands, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On 1 January, Ingo Kästner, Managing Director of PMG Presse-Monitor, will also take over the management of X-CAGO. The Dutch company is a leading international specialist for data and content conversion in the international publishing industry. The previous Managing Director and founder, Koos Hussem, will be taking his well-deserved retirement at the turn of the year, but will continue to be available to the company with his expertise.

Ingo Kästner has headed PMG Presse-Monitor since 2019. He played a leading role in initiating the acquisition of X-CAGO in 2021. Since then, he has been responsible for the Dutch company’s business together with Koos Hussem.

Olivera Kipcic, Chairwoman of the PMG shareholders’ meeting and shareholder representative of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, emphasises:

“Ingo Kästner is an accomplished manager and expert in digital content marketing. In recent years, he has created new opportunities to successfully market high-quality content digitally. Under his leadership, PMG and X-CAGO have become a strong strategic unit. His takeover of the management is the next logical step in continuing this success story.”

Ingo Kästner bids Koos Hussem farewell with the following words: “I would like to thank Koos warmly for the trusting collaboration over the last few years. With his commitment and vision, he has made X-CAGO one of the most sought-after providers of content management and data conversion since it was founded in 2000. It is an honour for me to continue on this successful path.

Together with his first-class team, we will continue to expand X-CAGO’s role as a technical pioneer and offer content producers worldwide perfect solutions for successful digital marketing.”

About PMG Presse-Monitor GmbH & Co. KG and X-CAGO B.V.

With the largest daily updated press database in the German-speaking world, PMG Presse-Monitor GmbH & Co. KG is a leading provider of digital media monitoring, press review creation and media analysis.

PMG markets the content and rights of around 900 newspaper and magazine publishers. Of over 4,000 print and online sources, around 3,000 are available digitally in the PMG press database. The company supplies over 5,000 customers from companies, associations, public institutions, media monitoring services and PR agencies from its base in Berlin.

Founded in 2001, PMG is a joint venture of German newspaper and magazine publishers with the shareholders Axel Springer, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Gruner + Jahr, Handelsblatt Media Group, Hubert Burda Media, Spiegel-Verlag, Süddeutsche Zeitung as well as the Bundesverband Digitalpublisher und Zeitungsverleger and the Medienverband der freien Presse.

In 2021, PMG is taking a major step towards becoming a central data hub for content publishers with the acquisition of Dutch data converter X-CAGO B.V. The company is internationally successful in converting and standardising a wide variety of content formats. ArchiveExpress, X-CAGO’s digital archive solution, is used by publishers worldwide as a distribution platform for their content.

– Picture is available at AP –

Press contact
PMG Presse-Monitor GmbH & Co. KG
Roger Dormeier
Marketing | Kommunikation | PR
roger.dormeier@presse-monitor.de 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/management-change-at-x-cago-ingo-kastner-takes-over-the-reins-302336178.html

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Togetherwork acquires PetExec, expanding its industry leading footprint in serving pet care businesses with quality software and payments solutions

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December 19, 2024

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Togetherwork, the leader in software and payments for pet care businesses, is excited to announce the acquisition of PetExec software, a leading solution for pet care businesses to streamline daily operations, CRM, and booking.

ATLANTA, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Togetherwork, the leader in software and payments for pet care businesses, is excited to announce the acquisition of PetExec software, a leading solution for pet care businesses to streamline daily operations, CRM, and booking.

“I’m very excited to announce that PetExec has joined the Togetherwork family,” said Togetherwork Chief Product Officer, Ken McDonald.

As a provider of cloud-based software for pet businesses, PetExec has a history of helping its customers manage and grow their businesses. With this acquisition Togetherwork is deepening its presence and commitment to the pet care industry by adding PetExec to its family of products serving pet care businesses.

PetExec will join Gingr and Revelation Pets in Togetherwork’s pet care product offering, which serves over 7,000 customers. The PetExec team will continue to operate and support PetExec customers, while enabling Togetherwork to offer additional compelling software and payments solutions to the entire pet care community.

“I’m very excited to announce that PetExec has joined the Togetherwork family,” said Togetherwork Chief Product Officer, Ken McDonald. “The entire PetExec team shares our passion for pet business owners and the software that enables them, and we couldn’t be more pleased to bring the Gingr and PetExec teams together. We believe that this acquisition will help us provide even better products, solutions, support, and innovation to all our customers.”

About PetExec
PetExec was founded in 2006 and has grown to serve a multitude of pet care business including doggie daycares, pet boarding facilities, groomers, and dog trainers. PetExec empowers you to streamline daily operations, customer relationship management, and booking with industry-leading tools and support from our experts at every step, so you can focus on your business, your clients, and, of course, your pets.

About Togetherwork
Togetherwork is a leader in group engagement software and financial tools for organizations of all kinds, helping them grow, become more efficient, increase revenues, and provide excellent service to their members and customers. Togetherwork focuses on customized solutions that address the specific needs of various industries, associations, and interest groups. By leveraging technology, collaboration, and a passion for community-building, we provide advanced digital and mobile platforms designed for your unique use cases and evolving requirements. Togetherwork has more than 700 employees and is a portfolio company of GI Partners.

Media Contact

Jacob Fabbri, Togetherwork, 202-803-5199, jfabbri@togetherwork.com, www.Togetherwork.com

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/togetherwork-acquires-petexec-expanding-its-industry-leading-footprint-in-serving-pet-care-businesses-with-quality-software-and-payments-solutions-302335963.html

SOURCE Togetherwork

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OLEDWorks’ Second-Generation Atala OLED Lighting is Now Available for Vehicle Integration

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25 minutes ago

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December 19, 2024

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OLEDWorks Unveils Digital OLED 2.0 Technology from the Atala Brand, Elevating Innovative Design and Communication Solutions

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — OLEDWorks, the global leader in automotive organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology, is pleased to announce the market release of digital OLED 2.0 technology, the second generation of automotive-certified OLED lighting by OLEDWorks’ automotive brand Atala. This advanced technology is now available for vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers.

The launch of Digital 2.0 technology opens up a new realm of possibilities, redefining how design and communication integrate seamlessly in lighting solutions.

Redefining Automotive Communication and Design

Building upon the foundation of first-generation Atala technology, digital OLED 2.0 significantly enhances functionality, flexibility, and customization to meet the ever-changing demands of the automotive industry.

With an increased number of individually controlled segments—ranging from 10 to a maximum of 128—digital OLED 2.0 delivers unparalleled functionality and performance. Increasing the number of digitally controlled segmentation enables brand-differentiating design capabilities, and crisp symbology for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication.

Unmatched Design Flexibility

Digital OLED 2.0 panels offer full customization to meet the unique needs of automotive manufacturers. Customers can tailor the panel’s shape, size, segmentation count, and style to integrate into their current lamp designs, or create a new, unique light language for their vehicles. Additionally, the technology supports further design elevation through crisply defined brand-specific imagery and logos.

One of the most innovative features of the technology is its ability to create hidden images and symbols through adjustable gaps between segments. These images remain invisible until illuminated, unlocking new creative possibilities for designers and delivering a distinctive aesthetic edge.

The first vehicle to include digital OLED 2.0 technology is the Audi Q6 e-tron, which was released in 2024 and contains six taillight panels with 60 individually controlled segments each.

“The release of digital OLED 2.0 technology is something we have eagerly anticipated,” said John Rubens, Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships at OLEDWorks. “With this technology, our customers have more design freedom than ever before with the added dynamic functionality capabilities for advanced V2X communication, and the same reliability and performance that they have come to expect from Atala products.”

Future-Ready Automotive Innovation

By combining advanced functionality with bold design capabilities, digital OLED 2.0 represents a transformative step forward. This OLED technology empowers automakers to enhance safety, communication, and branding, by capturing driver attention more effectively and conveying clear messages for enhanced road safety, driving the industry into an exciting new era of innovation.

Visit the Atala by OLEDWorks booth at CES 2025 from January 7-10, 2025, at Booth #4466 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center where OLEDWorks will showcase their most advanced lighting technology, and digital OLED 2.0 in the Audi SQ6 e-tron.

About OLEDWorks

OLEDWorks is the global leader in the development and production of automotive qualified organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology. Its Atala product line offers the brightest, most reliable, and longest lasting automotive OLED lighting on the road today. Meticulously crafted to meet the needs of designers and engineers, Atala enables unparalleled design freedom with ultra-thin, flexible, and highly segmented OLED lighting. From the size and shape of segments and panels to dynamic display-like animations and symbology for superior communication, Atala can be customized to match any design vision. Elevate your brand and personalize the human experience with automotive OLED technology that seamlessly blends aesthetics with functionality.

Atala OLED lighting solutions combine American and German innovation and engineering to meet and exceed automotive industry standards. Founded in 2010, OLEDWorks is headquartered in Rochester, NY, and has a prestigious manufacturing facility in Aachen, Germany. OLEDWorks’ state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is IATF 16949 and ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certified with full traceability via a factory MES system.

To learn more about Atala OLED technology, visit http://www.atala.oledworks.com. Learn more about OLEDWorks, the company behind the technology, at http://www.oledworks.com.

Media Contact

Kathleen Miller, OLEDWorks, 3392229303, kmiller@oledworks.com, www.oledworks.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/oledworks-second-generation-atala-oled-lighting-is-now-available-for-vehicle-integration-302335953.html

SOURCE OLEDWorks

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