Citywide 'Italian Wine Week' Activation Targets NYC Retailers to Expand Trade Engagement and Consumer Reach.

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Italian Trade Agency has announced the launch of Italian Wine Week, a citywide retail initiative taking place across the New York Metropolitan Area from October 12 to October 25, 2026. The two-week campaign brings together more than 100 wine retailers across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Jersey City to highlight the variety, heritage, value, and excellence of Italian winemaking.

Italian Wine Week serves as the public-facing gateway to Vinitaly USA, the flagship international exhibition of Italian wine taking place at Pier 36 on October 26 and October 27, 2026. While the Pier 36 event remains an industry-only gathering for trade and media professionals, Italian Wine Week extends that focus out to neighborhood bottle shops where consumers buy their wine every day.

"Italian wine is a cornerstone of New York's vibrant culinary culture," said Erica Di Giovancarlo, Trade Commissioner & Executive Director for the USA. "Through Italian Wine Week, we are highlighting wine shops where consumers can discover the extraordinary variety of Italian wines through special discounts and unique tastings. Leading into the New York City debut of Vinitaly USA, more than 300 Italian wine producers and 400+ qualified trade professionals will gather for two days of tastings, networking, and business opportunities. Together, these initiatives connect Italian producers, the U.S. wine trade, and consumers while showcasing the diversity and quality of Italian wine."

Through an interactive digital map on the official campaign website, consumers can easily locate participating neighborhood bottle shops across the city. Each destination will feature dedicated Italian Wine Week displays alongside exclusive store-specific promotional offers throughout the activation.

For participating wine shops, the program provides point-of-sale display kits, media promotion across local channels, and complimentary trade passes for store buyers and staff to attend Vinitaly USA. Qualifying retailers carrying Italian wines are invited to join the program at no cost by registering on the official campaign landing page.

For more information about Italian Wine Week, to view the interactive retailer map, or to register as a participating retailer, visit https://www.italianwineweeknyc.com/.

ABOUT THE ITALIAN TRADE AGENCY

ITA - Italian Trade Agency is the Governmental agency that supports the business development of our companies abroad and promotes the attraction of foreign investment in Italy. With a motivated and modern organization and a widespread network of overseas offices, ITA provides information, assistance, consulting, promotion, and training to Italian small and medium-sized businesses. Using the most modern multi-channel promotion and communication tools, it acts to assert the excellence of Made in Italy in the world.

SOURCE Italian Trade Agency

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The Inner Circle acknowledges Derreck D. Travers, as a Inner Circle Lifetime

MUKILTEO, Wash., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Derreck D. Travers is acknowledged as a Inner Circle Lifetime for his contributions to Drive Global Supply Chain Innovation Through Strategic Leadership and Operational Excellence.

Derreck D. Travers has established himself as an accomplished leader in transportation, logistics, and global supply chain operations, building a career defined by large scale transformation, financial performance, and customer focused innovation. His experience spans international and North American operations, where he has managed complex logistics networks, developed high performing teams, and implemented strategies designed to improve efficiency and accelerate business growth.

Mr. Travers brings extensive expertise in global supply chain strategy, profit and loss optimization, logistics management, multi carrier network optimization, last mile delivery infrastructure, route and flow optimization, and OKR frameworks. His approach combines strategic leadership with technology, data driven performance analytics, process engineering, cloud based SaaS integration, digital cargo management, and real time scheduling and inventory systems.

Throughout his career, Mr. Travers has held leadership roles with organizations including SmartKargo, Saks, Amazon, and Nucor. His responsibilities have included supporting services for major airlines such as Delta Air Lines, conducting KPI and OKR reviews, and advancing business growth initiatives. Across his career, he has managed $3.18 billion in cumulative budgets and led more than 346 personnel across 18 countries and 38 states.

His measurable financial and operational impact includes more than $576 million in documented year over year cost savings and revenue growth. Among his significant accomplishments, Mr. Travers helped lead the global deployment of Amazon's in house last mile delivery network, AMZL, across seven countries. He also orchestrated an annual cost reduction of approximately $120 million for Saks Global, representing savings of 35 percent.

Beyond operational performance, Mr. Travers is passionate about coaching, talent development, and building systems that enable teams to succeed. He credits mentors Shivi Shankaran, Mike Bhaskaran, and Girish Lakshman with contributing to his professional development and leadership perspective.

Mr. Travers is also an active voice within the supply chain profession. He was a speaker at the American Supply Chain Summit in May 2026 and has shared his expertise through industry podcasts including Let's Talk Supply Chain and a co-host on the Collective published on Supply Chain Now. His insights have also appeared through LinkedIn articles and in Logistics and Transportation Review, where he discussed advances in reshaping the transportation industry.

His accomplishments have earned notable recognition, including Amazon's Door Desk Award presented by Jeff Bezos and the Amazon Bar Raiser Award.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Mr. Travers enjoys golf, pickleball, and tinkering with his converted camper van. When traveling, he particularly appreciates remote destinations away from heavily populated areas.

Looking ahead, Mr. Travers is focused on continuing to advance professionally, expanding his network, improving the customer experience, and leaving a meaningful mark on the transportation and logistics industry. His leadership philosophy includes what he describes as a "healthy dose of being naive," reflecting a willingness to challenge assumptions, remain curious, and approach complex problems with an open mind. Through strategic thinking, operational discipline, and continuous innovation, he remains committed to building stronger systems, developing talented teams, and creating lasting value across the global supply chain.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle

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Keeper's zero-knowledge Google Chat integration brings approval workflows and credential access into the collaboration platform teams already use

CHICAGO, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Keeper Security, the leading zero-trust and zero-knowledge identity security platform, today announces a new integration that brings approval workflow management and secure credential access directly into Google Chat, extending zero-trust identity governance to Google Workspace environments. The integration lets teams request and approve privileged access, retrieve credentials and manage secrets without leaving their chat platform, while maintaining the zero-knowledge encryption that defines Keeper's architecture.

Keeper's Google Chat App integration addresses a critical gap for organizations that use Google Workspace as their primary collaboration platform, enabling administrators to manage privileged access without switching to separate tools. Teams can now submit vault access requests with justification and custom permission levels, retrieve secrets and approve just-in-time elevation requests with full audit trails and reporting. Administrators enforce time-limited access windows and policy-driven approval routing through Keeper without requiring users to navigate multiple systems.

"Organizations need access controls embedded in the tools their teams already use," said Craig Lurey, CTO and Co-founder of Keeper Security. "Using this integration means your infrastructure stays isolated because the chat app is just the interface. The encryption and verification happen entirely in your environment, so credentials never exist in transit, whether to Google's infrastructure or ours."

Seamless Access Without Exposure

The Google Chat App runs on an organization's existing infrastructure using Commander Service Mode. Credentials remain encrypted end-to-end and never pass through external services, maintaining the same zero-knowledge model as Keeper's core platform. Administrators have a variety of actions available through the integration that reduce the burden of manually switching between tools, increasing both security and productivity.

The integration supports:

- Vault record access requests with custom permissions and time-limited sessions to eliminate waiting for credential distribution

- Endpoint Privilege Manager elevation approvals for just-in-time privilege escalation to reduce approval friction

- SSO Cloud device approvals for federated authentication workflows to streamline device onboarding

- Real-time request notifications and approval workflows within dedicated channels to keep approvers in flow

- Centralized audit logging of all access requests, approvals and credential access to ensure compliance visibility

The integration is available immediately to Keeper customers with active Keeper Secrets Manager or KeeperPAM licenses. Installation is facilitated through a guided setup process that uses Keeper Secrets Manager to securely store the integration's configuration and credentials. For setup details and user documentation, visit docs.keeper.io.

About Keeper Security

Keeper Security is the leading zero-trust and zero-knowledge identity security solution, trusted by millions of people and thousands of organizations globally. KeeperPAM® is Keeper's privileged access management platform that unifies password and passkey management, secrets management, privileged session management and endpoint privilege management in a single cloud-native platform, protected with quantum-resistant encryption. KeeperAI delivers real-time, AI-native threat detection across every privileged session. As AI agents proliferate and identity becomes the defining attack surface, Keeper governs access for humans, machines, non-human identities and AI agents, serving as the unified control plane for access, compliance and visibility across the enterprise. For more information, visit KeeperSecurity.com.

Learn more: KeeperSecurity.com

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Media Contact

Katherine Benfield

ICR for Keeper Security

[email protected]

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Developed in collaboration with acclaimed guitarist Matteo Mancuso, the new signature model brings the tone, feel and performance of his custom Revstar to players worldwide

BUENA PARK, Calif., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yamaha today announced the new Matteo Mancuso Signature Revstar (RS20MM), a premium production electric guitar designed to recreate the aesthetic, tone and playing feel of Mancuso's custom Revstar. Developed through years of collaboration between Yamaha and one of today's most notable, modern guitarists, whose virtuosic technique and innovative fingerstyle approach have earned praise from artists including Al Di Meola, Steve Vai and Joe Bonamassa, the RS20MM brings the performance characteristics, tonal philosophy and playability refinements of his primary instrument to players worldwide.

Mancuso has played Revstar guitars since 2017 and became a Yamaha artist in 2019, making the RS20MM the culmination of a long-standing collaboration between the guitarist and Yamaha.

The RS20MM is only the second widely available artist-signature model in the Revstar lineup and is designed for guitarists seeking exceptional expressiveness, articulation and tonal versatility across a wide range of musical styles. Equipped with the same DiMarzio® PAF® 36th Anniversary pickups featured in Mancuso's custom guitar, the instrument delivers remarkable clarity, sustain and dynamic response, allowing players to translate subtle playing nuances into musical expression.

"This signature model is an evolution of the custom Yamaha Revstar I've relied on for years, both onstage and in the studio," said Matteo Mancuso. "From the very beginning, the goal was to create an instrument that delivers the versatility, dynamic response and articulation my playing demands. I'm thrilled that players can now experience the guitar that has been at the heart of my sound and make it part of their own musical journey."

Built around Yamaha Acoustic Design technology, the RS20MM pairs a chambered body for enhanced resonance and reduced weight with a carbon-reinforced neck for strength and stability. A push-pull Focus Switch and 5-way switching system provide a broad range of tones spanning jazz, fusion, rock and beyond, while a refined neck heel developed at Mancuso's request improves upper-fret access for fluid technical playing.

Finished in Vintage Sunburst with a flame-maple top, all-gold hardware, a custom logo inlay at the 12th fret and Mancuso's signature on the truss rod cover, the RS20MM reflects the visual style of the guitarist's custom instrument.

The Yamaha Matteo Mancuso Signature Revstar (RS20MM) is now available through authorized Yamaha dealers nationwide for $1,599.99. For more information, visit yamaha.io/MatteoPR.

ABOUT YAMAHA

Yamaha Corporation of America is the largest subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation, the world-leading music and sound company based in Hamamatsu, Japan. The Yamaha team is committed to helping everyone progress, express and connect through music and sound. We offer innovative, finely crafted, award-winning products for your entire musical journey, including pianos, brass instruments, woodwinds, strings, electronic keyboards, guitars, drums, professional and home audio equipment.

SOURCE Yamaha

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Buchanan Capital Partners Acquires Churchill Tower, a Class A Office Tower in Dallas's Park Central Submarket

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Buchanan Capital Partners ("BCP"), an Austin-based, zero-fee commercial real estate investment firm, announced its latest acquisition: the purchase of Churchill Tower, a 277,268-square-foot Class A office tower in Dallas's Park Central submarket. The acquisition follows its 2025 off-market purchase of Westbank Pointe in Austin.

The 12-story tower is located at 12400 Coit Road on the favorable side of US-75 and I-635, adjacent to some of Dallas's most affluent neighborhoods and steps from high-quality retail and medical services. Built in 1999 and comprehensively renovated in 2025, the building offers flexible, easily demisable floor plates averaging ±22,000 square feet, a structured garage with 997 spaces and on-site EV charging, and a refreshed lobby, fitness center, conference center, and on-site café (Paesano's).

Churchill Tower is 93% leased to a diversified roster of roughly 50 tenants. The tenant base is anchored by Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI), a top-25 national accounting and advisory firm that has called the building home for more than two decades and carries prominent building signage, alongside its affiliate Level Four Group, a Dallas-based multidisciplinary financial services firm.

BCP acquired the building at a point in the cycle when institutional capital has been slow to return to the office sector, allowing the firm to establish an attractive cost basis in a well-located, established asset. Class A rents sit roughly 36% below those along Central Expressway while new supply continues to shrink as competitive product in the immediate area is taken offline for redevelopment by users such as Costco and H-E-B.

"At BCP, we look for assets at an attractive cost basis where we can create exceptional value for tenants. Churchill Tower is a high-quality Class A property in a convenient infill location adjacent to Dallas' most desirable neighborhoods, yet its gross rental costs, including expenses, are up to 50% below competing infill submarkets." said Keith Buchanan, Founder of BCP. "Combined with a highly diversified tenant base and an attractive going-in yield, we believe Churchill offers a compelling combination of quality, location and value." "What drew us to Churchill was the ability to buy contractual cash flow from quality tenants," added Trent Thomas, Partner at BCP. "The building is 93% leased, prior ownership invested heavily in the renovation, and the spec suite program leased up quickly - so our focus is straightforward: keep great tenants in place through thoughtful capital enhancements that further improve their on-site experience."

This acquisition reinforces BCP's reputation as a leader in strategic, growth-oriented real estate investments that prioritize value creation and investor trust.

About Buchanan Capital Partners

Buchanan Capital Partners, based in Austin, Texas, is a performance-based commercial real estate investment firm focused on delivering consistent, superior risk-adjusted returns. BCP charges no fees, and its investors are paid in full before the firm receives compensation. BCP pursues low cost-basis strategies including direct acquisitions across product types and providing joint venture equity for de-risked opportunistic investments. BCP's Principal has a proven 30+ year track record of successful investing across all commercial real estate product types, primarily in major Texas metros.

For more information about Buchanan Capital Partners, please visit www.buchanancp.com.

Contact:

Gentry Bowen

[email protected]

512-673-7375

SOURCE Buchanan Capital Partners

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ELEGRP Showcases HF GFCI Receptacle and Comprehensive GFCI Solutions at NECA 2026

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- October 4–7, 2026 — ELEGRP today announced that it will showcase its latest High-Frequency (HF) GFCI solution at the 2026 NECA Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas. The new HF GFCI receptacle is designed to minimize nuisance tripping associated with high-frequency leakage currents from modern electrical equipment, helping maintain reliable GFCI protection while keeping connected equipment operating as intended.

"GFCI has been one of our core areas of expertise for many years. From GFCI receptacles and portable GFCI to innovative GFCIs with night lights and USB charging, we have continued to expand our solutions to meet different applications," said Ronald Zheng, GFCI Product Manager at ELEGRP. "With our new HF GFCI receptacle, we are addressing another challenge brought by today's appliances and equipment, giving both homeowners and electrical professionals greater peace of mind."

As electrical equipment becomes more advanced, technologies such as variable-frequency drives (VFDs), inverters, and other electronic controls are increasingly common. These technologies can generate high-frequency leakage currents that may cause conventional GFCIs to trip unnecessarily under certain conditions, interrupting normal equipment operation. High-Frequency (HF) GFCIs are designed to better handle these conditions. By improving the device's response to high-frequency electrical signals, HF GFCIs can help reduce nuisance tripping while maintaining reliable ground-fault protection.

ELEGRP's HF GFCI is engineered for these applications, with performance evaluated across the 60 Hz to 150 kHz frequency range. Meeting the requirements for the High-Frequency (HF) rating under UL 943, it is suited for a variety of equipment, including refrigerators, coffee makers, variable-speed HVAC systems, pool pumps, and more. For electrical contractors and professionals, the HF GFCI helps reduce nuisance tripping and avoid unnecessary callbacks, making troubleshooting easier and helping minimize interruptions to equipment operation.

The HF GFCI also maintains reliable protection with ELEGRP's patented 5-second self-test technology, enabling more frequent monitoring than the UL 943 requirement of testing every three hours. It has also undergone more than 6,000 endurance test cycles, twice the UL standard requirement.

To meet different installation needs, ELEGRP's HF GFCI is available in standard and integrated night-light versions. The night-light version provides convenient illumination in dark or low-light areas, adding convenience to everyday use.

The new HF GFCI expands ELEGRP's GFCI portfolio, which includes traditional GFCI receptacles, models with integrated night lights and USB charging, and portable GFCIs. Together, these solutions address a wide range of electrical protection and installation needs.

Visit ELEGRP at Booth #2334 during NECA 2026, October 4–7, in Las Vegas, and discover the ELEGRP's HF GFCI and other electrical solutions.

About ELEGRP

Founded in 2000, ELEGRP is a world-leading manufacturer of intelligent electrical and electromechanical equipment, including residual-current devices, wiring devices, smart home devices, wires and cables, domestic water pumps and more. Its products are widely used in household appliances, personal care appliances, smart bathrooms, power equipment, and building electrical systems.

ELEGRP now operates in more than 40 countries and regions worldwide. With a user-centered approach, ELEGRP commits to improving electrical appliance safety, expanding smart appliance and smart home applications, and providing users around the world with safer and more convenient products, services, and solutions.

For more information, please visit https://www.elegrp.com/ and follow ELEGRP on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

SOURCE ELEGRP

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EUHOMY CLOSES IFA 2026 WITH NINE HONORS ACROSS ITS ICE MAKER LINEUP

Rock Pro, Ice Leopard X1 and Pearl L1 Max recognized by IFA Berlin and media outlets

BERLIN, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Euhomy concluded IFA 2026 with nine honors across three ice makers, alongside hands-on demonstrations of its lineup and the debut of the Jet Pro Ice Dispenser.

Award wins at IFA 2026:

- IFA Innovation Award (Best in Home Appliances) — Rock Pro Sphere Ice Maker.

- The Ambient, Best in Show — Rock Pro Sphere Ice Maker.

- GearBrain, Editor's Choice — Ice Leopard X1 Portable Rapid Ice Maker

- Maxim, Best of IFA - Maxim — Rock Pro Sphere Ice Maker

- Reviewed, Top Picks from IFA 2026 (Kitchen and Cooking) — Rock Pro Sphere Ice Maker

- SheFinds, Best of IFA — Rock Pro Sphere Ice Maker

- Techlicious, Editor's Choice Award — Ice Leopard X1 Portable Rapid Ice Maker

- Techlicious, Spotlight Award — Pearl L1 Max Nugget Ice Maker

- Trusted Reviews, Best Tech of IFA 2026 — Rock Pro Sphere Ice Maker

Alongside its award-winning models, Euhomy gave IFA attendees hands-on access to its newest debut, the Jet Pro Ice Dispenser — a 7-inch-wide countertop nugget ice maker, roughly half the footprint of the category standard, dispensing ice in 7–10 minutes with one-touch access. The stand also featured live demos of the LunaArc Crescent Ice Maker, the Dart H1 Pro, and the Rock Plus Square Ice Maker, several of which are expanding into European markets this winter.

"IFA gave us the chance to put our full range in front of European media and consumers for the first time, and the response — both from the judges and from everyone who stopped by the stand," said Paul Shen, CEO, Euhomy. "This confirmed what we believed going in: there's a real appetite for ice makers built with this much attention to detail, whether that's a second cleaning pump, an insulated serving bucket, or a slow-melting sphere built for a proper cocktail."

Media assets

High-resolution images of all award-winning and showcased models, spec sheets, and review unit request forms are available upon request.

About Euhomy

Euhomy is a specialized home appliance brand focused on portable cooling solutions, refrigeration, and ice-making equipment. It is a global leader in countertop ice makers and portable refrigeration appliances, delivering innovative, user-friendly cooling solutions for home, office, and outdoor lifestyles.

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- Five-year agreement expands BNP Paribas's access to Google Cloud's AI-optimized infrastructure, Gemini models and Gemini Enterprise.

- Initial use cases include plans to integrate Gemini models into LLM@CIB, CIB's internal generative AI assistant, and deploy agentic AI use cases within Corporate & Institutional Banking (CIB).

- Strengthens BNP Paribas' multi-cloud approach, aligned within its existing security and data governance framework.

PARIS and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BNP Paribas and Google Cloud today announced a new five-year partnership, to expand BNP Paribas' access to Google Cloud's infrastructure and advanced AI capabilities including Gemini Enterprise and Gemini models.

Through this partnership, Google Cloud technologies will support the expansion of BNP Paribas' infrastructure and AI capabilities as the Bank moves towards broader deployment of agentic AI. It will also strengthen its existing multi-cloud and multi-model approach within its established security and data governance framework.

"Our role is to empower our businesses with the technology capabilities they need while maintaining a consistent framework for security and control. A multi-cloud and multi-model approach gives us the flexibility to select, for each case, the right model, infrastructure and level of control to meet our requirements for quality and security while delivering the best balance between cost and value. This partnership strengthens that approach and expands the options available to our businesses," said Marc Camus, Group Chief Information Officer, BNP Paribas.

"Agentic AI marks a critical shift in how global financial institutions streamline operations, assess risk, and serve their clients. Through this five-year partnership, BNP Paribas is combining its banking leadership with Google Cloud's secure infrastructure and Gemini Enterprise to deploy intelligent agents within platforms across the bank," said Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud.

From cloud and AI capabilities to business use case 

Through this partnership, BNP Paribas will have access to Gemini Enterprise to build, evaluate and  deploy purpose-built agents tailored to specific business needs. 

Starting with BNP Paribas Corporate & Institutional Banking (CIB):

- The new capabilities will support the planned deployment of AI agents for targeted workflows, including the preparation of corporate credit memos to assist teams, with further applications across sales, trading, research, and structuring activities.

- Gemini models will be integrated into LLM@CIB, its generative AI assistant currently available to more than 65,000 employees.

"Our approach to AI starts with the business need. We assess which technology is best suited to each use case and deploy it within the bank's security and governance framework. Agentic AI can help our teams handle more complex workflows while maintaining the appropriate level of control," said Charles Holive, Chief AI Officer, BNP Paribas CIB.

Google Cloud and Gemini technologies have already been deployed at Nickel, BNP Paribas' payment account business within the Commercial, Personal Banking & Services (CPBS) division. Gemini serves as the foundational model for Nickel Assist, helping 200 customer advisers find answers to customer requests based on Nickel's procedures and operating guidelines.

A controlled, enterprise-grade governance framework

The use of Google Cloud will follow BNP Paribas' existing security and data governance  requirements, which determines the type of data and workloads that can be processed in a public  cloud environment. Certain categories of data will not be stored in a public cloud environment.

Security is a key pillar of BNP Paribas' agentic AI strategy, with each agent being authenticated and granted access only to the resources required to perform its assigned task. The connection of AI agents to the Group's information systems and their respective interactions will be consequently monitored and controlled.

The partnership will also contribute to BNP Paribas' existing Group-wide AI adoption program, completing ongoing initiatives with learning opportunities ranging from foundational AI literacy to specialized AI agent development.

About BNP Paribas 

Leader in banking and financial services in Europe, BNP Paribas operates in 64 countries and has over  180,000 employees, including more than 146,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity:  Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group's commercial & personal banking and several specialised  businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment  and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on  its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations,  entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing,  investment, savings and protection insurance. The Group has a historic footprint in four eurozone markets: Belgium,  France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several  Mediterranean countries, Türkiye, and Eastern Europe. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading  platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in  Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to  contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group's performance and stability.

About Google Cloud 

Google Cloud offers a powerful, optimized AI stack—including AI infrastructure, leading models like Gemini, data  management capabilities, multicloud security solutions, developer tools and platform, as well as agents and applications— that enables organizations to transform their business for the Agentic Era. Customers in more than 200 countries and  territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner. 

SOURCE Google Cloud

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Project will modernize 29.3 miles of existing transmission infrastructure to strengthen reliability, resilience and grid capacity.

ALLENTOWN, Pa., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PPL Electric Utilities today joined U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, elected officials, project stakeholders and community leaders to announce that the company has been selected to receive up to $71.5 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to support the Montour Grid Resilience and Advanced Reconductoring Project, a major modernization of an existing 230-kilovolt transmission corridor. The funding is being made available through the DOE's Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) Program.

The proposed Montour Grid Resilience and Advanced Reconductoring Project will rebuild approximately 29.3 miles of existing transmission line, replacing aging infrastructure with advanced technologies that strengthen reliability, enhance the line's available capacity and support growing energy needs while maximizing the use of existing infrastructure, providing long-term reliability and affordability benefits to customers throughout the Susquehanna Valley, Greater Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania.

"Today's announcement reinforces the Trump Administration's commitment to commonsense energy addition policies that lower electricity prices and strengthen our grid," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. "These investments will get more out of the infrastructure we already have, move more electricity across the grid, and help deliver affordable, reliable and secure power that will fuel American prosperity for decades to come."

"This Department of Energy funding will help PPL Electric modernize critical infrastructure, strengthen reliability and resilience and deploy advanced technologies that will help inform future grid investments," said PPL Electric Utilities President Christine Martin. "By bringing these federal resources into Pennsylvania, we can maximize the impact of every infrastructure dollar invested while helping minimize costs for customers and delivering long-term value for the communities we serve."

Support for Pennsylvania's energy infrastructure

The project has received support from federal and state stakeholders who recognize the importance of strengthening Pennsylvania's electric infrastructure and supporting future economic growth.

"Pennsylvanians need cheaper, more reliable power, and this grant will bring us closer to that goal," said Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA). "I'm proud to have supported this grant, which will strengthen the grid, encourage job-creating investments, and ensure lower-cost electricity for Pennsylvanians across the northeast and Lehigh Valley. I commend PPL and Secretary Chris Wright for their commitment to growing our great Commonwealth."

"Since day one, Secretary Wright and the Trump administration have been leading the effort to modernize America's electric grid, strengthen energy reliability and ensure we have the infrastructure needed to meet growing energy demand," said Congressman Dan Meuser. "This investment is an example of how the Trump Administration is working with our industry partners to put federal resources to work on critical infrastructure projects here in Pennsylvania. I'd like to thank President Trump and Secretary Wright for helping deliver more reliable power for families and businesses."

"Pennsylvania is an energy powerhouse, and the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos deserve a grid system that promotes affordability and reliability for local families and businesses," said Congressman Ryan Mackenzie. "That's why I support commonsense, all-of-the-above solutions that strengthen our energy infrastructure and help keep costs down for working families, seniors and small businesses. This investment will help modernize critical transmission infrastructure, expand capacity and strengthen reliability for customers across our region. I appreciate Secretary Wright and PPL Electric Utilities for their work to bring this investment to Pennsylvania."

Innovative project technologies

The project will deploy two advanced transmission technologies supported through DOE's SPARK Program:

Advanced Conductors: PPL Electric will use a combination of Aluminum Conductor Steel Supported (ACSS) and Aluminum Conductor Composite Core (ACCC) conductors on targeted segments of the line. These advanced conductors can carry more electricity, improve performance during high temperatures and provide greater long-term reliability while maximizing use of the existing transmission corridor.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing: The project will install dual optical ground wire to strengthen system protection and communications while expanding the corridor's fiber network. PPL Electric will use that fiber network to demonstrate Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology and evaluate new tools to better understand, monitor and operate the electric grid.

Over the coming months, PPL Electric will work with the DOE to negotiate and finalize the terms of the award.

About the SPARK Initiative

The U.S. Department of Energy's Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) initiative supports projects that modernize and strengthen the nation's electric grid by upgrading existing transmission infrastructure with advanced technologies. Funded through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, SPARK is designed to increase grid capacity, improve reliability and resilience, reduce congestion, and deliver additional electricity using existing transmission corridors. Selected projects demonstrate how advanced conductors, grid-enhancing technologies and other innovative solutions can help meet growing energy demand while improving the efficiency and performance of the electric system.

About PPL Electric Utilities

PPL Electric Utilities delivers safe, reliable and affordable electricity to about 1.5 million homes and businesses in eastern and central Pennsylvania. It regularly ranks among the country's best utility companies for reliability and customer satisfaction. PPL Electric Utilities is a major employer and an active supporter of the communities it serves. It is a part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies. Visit pplelectric.com or connect on social media via Facebook, X and Instagram for energy efficiency tips, bill help information, guidance on shopping for an electricity supplier, storm updates and more.

Note to Editors: Visit our media website at https://news.pplweb.com/ for additional news and background about PPL Corporation.

Contact: For news media: Dana Burns, [email protected], 610-774-5409

               PPL Electric Utilities

SOURCE PPL Electric Utilities

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Partnerships with VetJobs, Military Spouse Jobs, and Hire Heroes USA will expand career opportunities for veterans and military spouses across departments at Knox

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Knox Systems ("Knox"), the largest FedRAMP and DISA-managed cloud provider, today announced new recruiting partnerships with VetJobs, Military Spouse Jobs, and Hire Heroes USA, expanding the company's commitment to hiring veterans and members of the military community.

Today, veterans represent 25% of Knox's security workforce, bringing their critical experience to the company's security, technology, and operations lines of effort. Through these partnerships, Knox will expand its recruiting pipeline and connect veterans and military families with opportunities across the organization.

"Every day at Knox, we see the powerful expertise and leadership veterans bring to our team," said Irina Denisenko, CEO of Knox Systems. "Their experience makes our company stronger and makes us better equipped to serve the federal government. We're proud to have a strong number of veterans on our team, and our latest partnerships reflect our commitment to creating more pathways for those who have served to build their next chapter at Knox."

Knox's commitment extends across the company and its departments. All open roles welcome veteran applicants, and the company is working with hiring managers to identify opportunities where military experience and highly specialized technical or security expertise can make a direct impact.

The initiative is being led in partnership by Hemant Baidwan, former CISO of the Department of Homeland Security and current Executive CISO at Knox, and Kristen Tsamoudakis, VP, Head of People. Their partnership underscores the company's focus on connecting veteran recruiting directly with business and mission needs.

Knox has engaged with experienced partners that connect military-community candidates to successful career paths.

"Quality employment is such a key factor in the success of the military family," said Angie Fair, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at VetJobs and Military Spouse Jobs. "We appreciate our relationship with Knox Systems and their commitment to connecting with and creating pathways of employment for our military community."

As part of the initiative, Knox will also participate in a virtual career fair with Hire Heroes USA on September 24, connecting directly with transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses seeking their next career opportunity.

"Meaningful employer engagement can make a real difference for veterans and military spouses navigating their careers," said Charlotte Creech, Chief Program Officer at Hire Heroes USA. "We're pleased to work with Knox to create direct connections with military-connected job seekers, helping them explore opportunities that align with their skills, experience, and career goals."

To learn more about Knox careers, go to https://www.linkedin.com/company/knox-systems-inc/jobs/

About Knox Systems

Knox Systems operates the largest managed government cloud, trusted by leading agencies and partners across the defense and civilian sectors. Built for speed, resilience, and compliance, Knox helps software and AI companies navigate FedRAMP authorization and deliver modern technology to the federal ecosystem. With the support of sponsors from 18 agencies including DHS, DoW, FEMA, NIH, and more, Knox serves over 100 leading AI and SaaS providers, accelerating the delivery of mission-ready technology.

Learn more at knoxsystems.com.

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SOURCE Knox Systems, Inc

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