Business, Free News Articles

Matrix Announces the Successful Sale of WTG Fuels Holdings, LLC’s Retail Motor Fuels, Convenience Retail, and Fleet Fueling Businesses

RICHMOND, Va. -- Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. ("Matrix"), a leading, independent investment bank, today announced the successful closing on the sale of the retail motor fuels, convenience retail, and fleet fueling businesses of WTG Fuels Holdings, LLC ("WTG Fuels" or the "Company") to subsidiaries of GPM Investments, LLC, a subsidiary of ARKO Corp. (Nasdaq: ARKO) ("GPM"). The assets sold to GPM included 24 Uncle's branded convenience stores, 68 Gascard branded cardlock sites, 43 private cardlock sites, the Company's Gascard fleet card assets, and 9 consignment and wholesale dealer accounts.

WTG Fuels, based in Midland, Texas, is a large, diversified fuels distributor and convenience retailer with operations across west Texas and southeast New Mexico. Prior to the close of the transaction, the Company's assets included a chain of high-volume convenience stores operating under its proprietary Uncle's brand, a large fleet fueling business operating under its proprietary Gascard brand, and a delivered fuels business, serving residential and commercial customers, that ranks among the largest propane distributors in the Southwest. WTG Fuels' delivered fuels business, which provides propane, refined products, and lubricants to nearly 19,000 residential and commercial customers through a network of over 70 bulk plants and warehouses, is not included in the sale to GPM and will continue to be operated by WTG Fuels post-closing.

WTG Fuels is a subsidiary of West Texas Gas ("WTG"), a leading provider of natural gas gathering, processing, transmission, and distribution services throughout Texas and Oklahoma.

Matrix provided merger and acquisition advisory services to WTG, which included valuation advisory, marketing the business through a confidential, structured sale process, and negotiation of the transaction. The transaction was managed by Vance Saunders, CPA, Managing Director; Cedric Fortemps, CFA, Co-Head of Matrix's Downstream Energy & Convenience Retail Investment Banking Group; David Corbett, CFA, Director; John Duni, CFA, CPA, Vice President; and Michael Tucker, CFA, Associate.

John Steen, CEO of West Texas Gas, commented, "Matrix proved to be an indispensable partner and advisor to WTG on the divestiture of these assets. We appreciate all the efforts of the Matrix team over the course of this transaction."

Mr. Saunders added, "Our relationship with WTG first began back in late 2021 as we helped the Company evaluate strategic alternatives for the WTG Fuels businesses. After reviewing several options, the decision was made to divest WTG Fuels' retail motor fuels, convenience retail, and fleet fueling businesses through a carveout process to maximize the value of the Company's assets. We are grateful to WTG for entrusting us with this complex mandate."

Larry Parker, Trevor Wind, Mary Katherine McGetrick, David Allen, Nico Balbontin, and Alston Underwood of Williams Mullen served as legal counsel for WTG Fuels.

About Matrix's Downstream Energy & Convenience Retail Investment Banking Group:

Matrix's Downstream Energy & Convenience Retail Investment Banking Group is recognized as the national leader in providing transactional advisory services to companies in the downstream energy and multi-site retail sectors including convenience retailing, petroleum marketing & distribution, propane distribution, heating oil distribution, lubricants distribution, petroleum logistics, terminals and car washes.

Group members are dedicated to these sectors and draw upon complementary experiences to provide advisory services to complete sophisticated merger and acquisition transactions, debt and equity capital raises, corporate valuations, special situations and strategic planning engagements. Since 1997, our Downstream Energy & Convenience Retail Investment Banking Group has successfully completed over 270 engagements with a total transaction value of more than $13 billion.

About Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc.:

Founded in 1988, Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. is an independent, advisory focused, privately-held investment bank headquartered in Richmond, VA, with additional offices in Baltimore, MD and New York, NY. Matrix provides merger & acquisition and financial advisory services for privately-held, private-equity owned, not-for-profit and publicly traded companies. Matrix's advisory services include company sales, recapitalizations, capital raises of debt & equity, corporate carve outs, special situations, management buyouts, corporate valuations and fairness opinions. Matrix serves clients in a wide range of industries, including automotive aftermarket, building products, car washes, consumer products, convenience retail, downstream energy, healthcare and industrial products.

For additional information or to contact our team members, please visit https://matrixcmg.com/.

Securities offered by MCMG Capital Advisors, Inc., an affiliate of Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc., Member FINRA & SIPC

Related link: https://www.matrixcmg.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Business, Free News Articles

Matrix Advises TBC Corporation on the Sale of NTB and Tire Kingdom Service Centers

RICHMOND, Va. -- Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. ("Matrix"), a leading, independent investment bank, announces that it has advised TBC Corporation ("TBC" or the "Company") on the sale of TBC's company operated retail businesses to Mavis Tire Express Services Corp. ("Mavis"). The sale includes TBC's retail network of 595 tire and automotive service centers that utilize the NTB Tire & Service Centers ("NTB") and Tire Kingdom Service Centers ("Tire Kingdom") brands.

TBC, a joint venture between Sumitomo Corporation of Americas and Michelin North America Inc., is based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and is one of North America's largest marketers of automotive replacement tires. The Company executes a multi-channel marketing strategy that includes automotive retail, wholesale and distribution, and franchise operations. As part of the transaction, Mavis and TBC have entered into a distribution agreement, through which TBC will provide tire distribution and wholesale services for Mavis retail locations.

While both the NTB and Tire Kingdom brands have long, storied histories, the formation of TBC's retail platform occurred during the early 2000s when the Company acquired both brands through separate acquisitions. Over the next two decades, TBC continued growing each brand and ultimately operated 392 NTB and 203 Tire Kingdom branded locations across a 17-state marketing territory prior to the sale to Mavis. Together, the NTB and Tire Kingdom brands represent the fourth largest independent tire dealership in the United States according to Modern Tire Dealer's 2022 MTD 100 rankings.

Matrix provided merger and acquisition advisory services to TBC, which included valuation advisory, marketing the business through a confidential, structured sale process, and negotiation of the transaction. The transaction was led by Stephen Lynch, CFA, CPA, Managing Director and William O'Flaherty, Director. David Shoulders, Head of Matrix's Consumer & Industrial Investment Banking Group; Kyle Tipping, CFA, Senior Associate; Matt Oldhouser, CPA, Senior Associate and Alexander Rakos, Senior Analyst, also advised on the transaction.

Brian Maciak, Executive Vice President & General Counsel of TBC Corporation, recognized, "This transaction was complex and lengthy in duration, yet the efforts, professionalism, and attention to detail from the entire Matrix team have made it as seamless as possible to finalize the agreement and partnership between TBC and Mavis."

Mr. Lynch added, "We are honored to have been chosen by TBC to not only market the NTB and Tire Kingdom brands, which are both incredibly well-known and respected within the automotive industry, but also to help the Company further develop this strategic partnership. The success of this transaction is a great reflection of the world-class organization that TBC and its shareholders have built, and we are very excited to watch TBC and Mavis grow and strengthen their partnership."

Mr. O'Flaherty noted, "Matrix is thrilled to have achieved such an excellent outcome for our client, creating value in both the near and long-term for the Company. We were uniquely positioned to drive value in this transaction given our rich history of multi-site retail expertise paired with our knowledge and experience in the automotive aftermarket value chain. We congratulate TBC, Mavis, and their various stakeholders on this successful outcome."

Bradley Edmister and Aafke Pronk of Hogan Lovells US LLP served as legal counsel for TBC.

About Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc.:

Founded in 1988, Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. is an independent, advisory focused, privately-held investment bank headquartered in Richmond, VA, with additional offices in Baltimore, MD and New York, NY. Matrix provides merger & acquisition and financial advisory services for privately-held, private-equity owned, not-for-profit and publicly traded companies. Matrix's advisory services include company sales, recapitalizations, capital raises of debt & equity, corporate carve outs, special situations, management buyouts, corporate valuations and fairness opinions. Matrix serves clients in a wide range of industries, including automotive aftermarket, building products, car washes, consumer products, convenience retail, downstream energy, healthcare and industrial products.

For additional information or to contact our team members, please visit https://www.matrixcmg.com/.

Securities offered by MCMG Capital Advisors, Inc., an affiliate of Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc., Member FINRA & SIPC

Related link: https://www.matrixcmg.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Free News Articles, Sciences

Award-winning universal vaccine method calls for deeper scientific exploration – The Slammer Method

CHESAPEAKE, Va. -- A new universal vaccine method developed by Eric Kikkert is outlined in an article he wrote called: "The Slammer Method: How to create effective vaccines." It recently appeared in the "Journal of Infectious Diseases and Therapy" and is proposed to work in not just humans, but animals too. The material was presented at the 2023 12th International Conference for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease in London, received an award and established as a universal method to create effective vaccines.

As the name denotes, The Slammer Method, quite literally places the organism into "The Slammer" and crushes it through powerful force. The method entails using a series of approaches to dismantle the organism and prepare it for the body's immune system.

It's a new and inspirational method which uses the concepts of physics, biologics and natural extremes to combat an ever-changing environment of infectious diseases.

While the method is rudimentary in design, it's through its simplicity that great things are achievable. It all starts with a container that's capable of withstanding vast amounts of pressure and then subjecting an organism to multiple tests. In turn, these tests will determine how to proceed should the organism cease to function with pressure alone. After that, the next steps can happen which include adding the chemical equivalent of the enzyme or MPO used by the white blood cell to break down the organism.

Medical research will be able to verify that the organism is unable to feed or reproduce and The Slammer Method can be used for all infectious diseases, including HIV. It's derived from several factors in nature and has untapped possibilities.

"The potential to save countless lives is very real," Kikkert says. "It should be seriously explored through modern science, medical research and technological engineering."

Read the complete article: https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/how-to-create-effective-vaccines-93437.html

View the transcript of the presentation in London: https://www.allforyou2020.org/post/how-to-create-effective-vaccines

About Eric Kikkert:

Eric Kikkert has expertise in mechanical engineering and physics. He has a deep understanding of quantum relativity, quantum structures and mechanics and has produced advanced mathematical methods and concepts to create new formulas which permit unification of physics and relativity. It's here that he commits his understandings to biology to reverse engineer the quantum structure with particle physics.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Eric Kikkert, +1-757-949-8864, email: KikkertEric[at]icloud.com

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Free News Articles, Real Estate

Richmond SPCA to Benefit from Auction of Landmark Virginia Manor House on Nearly 400 Acres

ST. STEPHENS CHURCH, Va. -- Anchored by a 200-year-old manor house surrounded by nearly 400 acres, this historic Virginia estate known as Holly Hill is now truly going to the dogs - and to the cats, rabbits, and many other creatures whose well-being the Richmond SPCA champions and helps safeguard. Thanks to a generous benefactor, the proceeds from the sale of this estate, which is on both the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks register, will benefit the local animal welfare non-profit, according to auction firm, Tranzon Fox.

Creatures of both the four- and two-legged varieties will find much to enjoy about life at Holly Hill, including carefully-kept grounds with formal gardens, horse stables with a two-level apartment, fenced pasture land, approximately 136 tillable acres, significant frontage on the Mattaponi River, two ponds, recreational land, and numerous outbuildings.

"This is the fourth property we've auctioned for the benefit of the Richmond SPCA, and of those, Holly Hill is the most expansive and historic," said Bill Londrey, managing partner of Tranzon Fox. "These sales that benefit charities are always some of the most rewarding work we do, so I would encourage anyone seeking a personal or corporate retreat, or a pastoral location for a wedding/events venue or B&B, to visit our website to learn more.

"The auction will take place live and on-site at the property on April 26, 2023, and while there are a couple of opportunities to see the property beforehand, to gain access to the estate, prospective bidders will need to comply with the terms set by the executor. So, I'd say don't wait too long. This property hasn't been on the market in decades, and who knows when you'll have a chance again to buy it."

For more information about the auction, visit Tranzon's auction listing: https://www.tranzon.com/fx2021

About Tranzon:

In 2000, a group of real estate auctioneers banded together to create Tranzon, LLC, a nationwide network that revolutionized the way real estate professionals bring buyers and sellers together. Today, the Tranzon team features some of the most experienced real estate, marketing, and auction professionals in the business. Using Tranzon's Market-Making System(TM), a proven methodology for the accelerated sale of property, the company has conducted tens of thousands of successful commercial and residential auctions for clients including financial institutions, trusts, guardians, estates, and private individuals. All Tranzon companies are independently owned and operated. Tranzon Fox, VAAF 423.

About the Richmond SPCA:

The Richmond SPCA, founded in 1891, is a no-kill humane organization dedicated to the guiding principle that every life is precious. As a national leader in humane care and education, the Richmond SPCA is building a more compassionate community through programs of adoption, rehabilitation, spay/neuter, pet-retention, trap-neuter-vaccinate-return and humane education. For more information, visit https://richmondspca.org/.

Related link: https://www.tranzon.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Free News Articles, Real Estate

Richmond SPCA to Benefit from Auction of Landmark Virginia Manor House on Nearly 400 Acres

ST. STEPHENS CHURCH, Va. -- Anchored by a 200-year-old manor house surrounded by nearly 400 acres, this historic Virginia estate known as Holly Hill is now truly going to the dogs - and to the cats, rabbits, and many other creatures whose well-being the Richmond SPCA champions and helps safeguard. Thanks to a generous benefactor, the proceeds from the sale of this estate, which is on both the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks register, will benefit the local animal welfare non-profit, according to auction firm, Tranzon Fox.

Creatures of both the four- and two-legged varieties will find much to enjoy about life at Holly Hill, including carefully-kept grounds with formal gardens, horse stables with a two-level apartment, fenced pasture land, approximately 136 tillable acres, significant frontage on the Mattaponi River, two ponds, recreational land, and numerous outbuildings.

"This is the fourth property we've auctioned for the benefit of the Richmond SPCA, and of those, Holly Hill is the most expansive and historic," said Bill Londrey, managing partner of Tranzon Fox. "These sales that benefit charities are always some of the most rewarding work we do, so I would encourage anyone seeking a personal or corporate retreat, or a pastoral location for a wedding/events venue or B&B, to visit our website to learn more.

"The auction will take place live and on-site at the property on April 26, 2023, and while there are a couple of opportunities to see the property beforehand, to gain access to the estate, prospective bidders will need to comply with the terms set by the executor. So, I'd say don't wait too long. This property hasn't been on the market in decades, and who knows when you'll have a chance again to buy it."

For more information about the auction, visit Tranzon's auction listing: https://www.tranzon.com/fx2021

About Tranzon:

In 2000, a group of real estate auctioneers banded together to create Tranzon, LLC, a nationwide network that revolutionized the way real estate professionals bring buyers and sellers together. Today, the Tranzon team features some of the most experienced real estate, marketing, and auction professionals in the business. Using Tranzon's Market-Making System(TM), a proven methodology for the accelerated sale of property, the company has conducted tens of thousands of successful commercial and residential auctions for clients including financial institutions, trusts, guardians, estates, and private individuals. All Tranzon companies are independently owned and operated. Tranzon Fox, VAAF 423.

About the Richmond SPCA:

The Richmond SPCA, founded in 1891, is a no-kill humane organization dedicated to the guiding principle that every life is precious. As a national leader in humane care and education, the Richmond SPCA is building a more compassionate community through programs of adoption, rehabilitation, spay/neuter, pet-retention, trap-neuter-vaccinate-return and humane education. For more information, visit https://richmondspca.org/.

Related link: https://www.tranzon.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Business, e-Commerce, Free News Articles, Software

Aravenda Consignment Software Selected as Techstars Oakland Backed Company

VIENNA, Va. -- Aravenda Consignment Software, a leader in consignment software solutions, has been selected as a part of the Techstars Oakland powered by JP Morgan program. Techstars is a prestigious accelerator program that receives over 10,000 applications annually and selects only 2-3% of these applicants in various global cohorts. The Techstars Oakland Program is the first for Techstars in the San Francisco Bay area.

"The Techstars program is more than just a single accelerator; It's a lifelong affiliation with an organization that supports and encourages innovation in the SaaS space, and we are proud to have been selected," said Carolyn Thomson, CEO of Aravenda.

This recognition is a significant milestone for Aravenda and validates its innovative approach to consignment software. Resale is approaching $100 billion + in US-based revenue alone and is expected to grow 127% by 2026.

Aravenda's consignment software feature set has enabled users with vision and passion for resale to create their own Real Real™", StockX™ or Poshmark™ style resale platform. Unique features like fully integrated inbound shipping, remote item entry, pricing assistance and electronic consignor vendor payout functionality are built into the single-price Aravenda subscription enabling online sales and in-store collaborations.

"We're allowing customers to create their own resale platforms with an emphasis on e-commerce supporting brick-and-mortar sales. Aravenda consignment software allows clients to scale their businesses faster, giving them a competitive advantage and generating more profit," said Randy Howard, VP of Operations and Delivery.

In addition to being selected as a Techstars company, Aravenda has continued to receive grant money for improvements and expansion. The International Trade division of Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) awarded Aravenda an export-focused grant to help track their progress toward international growth.

Aravenda, a Shopify Partner since 2018, is committed to fostering partnerships with best-in-class third-party integrations for their clients like Clover and Lightspeed. These programs and awards are critical to Aravenda's international growth strategy and to those in search of the best consignment software to take local resale and antique businesses globally.

Aravenda's enterprise product enables resale franchise operators and national charities, such as the Assistance League, to have an Amazon™ type e-commerce platform where people can support the charity from anywhere. Buyers' orders are fulfilled from multiple locations seamlessly, and local chapters of the charity can maintain a local website for local pick-up. This is a note to Aravenda's unique ability to manage franchises with individual Tax IDs across multiple locations.

"We are delighted to see the growth of our team and the recognition of our successes by companies and competitive programs such as Techstars," stated Carolyn Thompson, CEO. "The resale business is recession-proof and gives individuals the opportunity to scale a profitable business with minimal up-front investment. Aravenda is a fit for small resellers to large enterprise companies with multiple locations and franchises who appreciate our one-stop-shop approach to consignment software and resale solution collaborations."

More information about Aravenda Consignment Software: https://www.aravenda.com/.

Related link: https://www.aravenda.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Business, Free News Articles, Product Launches, Software

Avenu Insights & Analytics Launches Cloud-based Unclaimed Property Management Solution – Avenu | Connect

CENTREVILLE, Va. -- Avenu Insights & Analytics (Avenu) is pleased to announce the nationwide launch of its latest Unclaimed Property solution, Avenu | Connect, designed specifically for State governments. This state-of-the-art SaaS solution integrates over 15 important applications used by State Unclaimed Property offices into a single, secure, and comprehensive platform.

Avenu | Connect is a cloud-based solution that offers real-time holder report validation, secure online payments, strong anti-fraud features, and 24/7 mobile access for constituents. It also anticipates the NAUPA III changes later this year. The new system facilitates instant and automated holder report corrections, eliminates bad data entries, and significantly reduces the need for state staff to scrub thousands of annual holder reports. The platform also supports low-cost Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments to rightful owners.

One of the key advantages of Avenu | Connect is its ease of implementation and intuitive design. Built on a clean, stable, and low-maintenance ASP.net technology, the platform offers a wide range of configuration options that can meet specific state program requirements. It also provides high-level security features, including LexisNexis ThreatMetrix enhancements.

With over 40 years of experience in the unclaimed property industry, Avenu has a keen understanding of what state officials are seeking when developing new software. The company is one of the most trusted and innovative resources in the industry managing over 64,000 security positions and $5.2 billion in state-held unclaimed securities. To date, they are the only company offering a crypto-custody solution to state unclaimed property programs.

"We're proud to offer Avenu | Connect as a cutting-edge SaaS solution that simplifies processes, saves time and money, and enhances compliance," said Paul Colangelo, Avenu CEO. "This new innovative software showcases our commitment to providing best-in-class solutions for State Unclaimed Property offices, ultimately streamlining processes, and reducing costs while maximizing compliance and minimizing risks."

About Avenu Insights & Analytics:

Over 3,500 state and local governments have partnered with Avenu to drive positive results for their communities through software administration and revenue recovery solutions. Avenu's comprehensive software solutions digitally transform government by modernizing processes, providing online access to records, and reducing costs. Avenu also provides a robust ecosystem of revenue management services that identify and recover untapped revenue. State and local governments work closely with Avenu to increase revenue without raising taxes, streamline internal operations, and improve services by enhancing connectivity for constituents. Avenu is a portfolio company of Mill Point Capital. To learn more, visit https://www.avenuinsights.com/ .

About Mill Point Capital:

Mill Point Capital LLC is a private equity firm focused on control investments in lower-middle market companies across the business services, technology and industrials sectors in North America. Mill Point's experienced team of investors and Executive Partners seek portfolio company value enhancement through rigorous implementation of transformative strategic initiatives and operational improvements. Mill Point is based in New York, NY. For more information, please visit https://millpoint.com/.

Related link: https://www.avenuinsights.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Alliances and Partnerships, Business, Free News Articles, VAR and IT Consulting

By Light, CompTIA, and Infosec Learning Partner to Offer Work Role Training for the Cyber Workforce

MCLEAN, Va. -- By Light Professional IT Services LLC announced today it is collaborating with CompTIA and Infosec Learning LLC to offer work role training courses that increase proficiency and prepare individuals for industry certifications. By Light integrates CompTIA's eLearning content and Infosec Learning's virtual labs on its unique Imerzi™ platform (www.imerzi.com) to provide focused, hands-on training.

"Cyber is doing. By Light, CompTIA, and Infosec Learning are a perfect combination for learners who need to go beyond PowerPoint presentations and lectures," said Tim Grattan, Senior Vice President of Cyberspace Operations at By Light.

Using the NIST Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (NCWF), By Light correlates the tasks, knowledge, and skills for each work role to CompTIA's industry-leading certifications. By Light's cyberspace operators then choose among thousands of Infosec Learning virtual labs and curate those that best apply the lessons in each learning module. The result is a seamless, web-based training experience that requires students to demonstrate aptitude for a selected work role and industry certification. Courses may be self-paced or instructor-led depending on the training environment desired.

The gap between supply and demand for cyber workers in the U.S. continues to expand according to CyberSeek™, a cybersecurity workforce analytics platform. Employers posted 769,736 openings for cybersecurity positions or jobs requiring cybersecurity skills in the 12-month period that ended in September 2022. There were nearly 70,000 cyber job openings in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for the same period. The By Light, CompTIA, and Infosec Learning partnership addresses this gap and offers a "job ready" path for those interested in building a career in cyber.

"Robust cyber defense begins with professionals who are educated, trained, and certified to understand the current threat landscape and the policies, practices, and procedures to counter those threats," said Joe Padin, Senior Vice President of U.S. Government and Commercial Sales at CompTIA. "Our joint efforts with By Light are aimed at expanding the Nation's cyber workforce."

About By Light

By Light Professional IT Services LLC is an ISO 9001, 20000-1, and 27001 registered and CMMI-Dev Level 3 rated systems integrator that provides secure turnkey systems by incorporating exceptional engineering, project management, telecommunications, and cyber capabilities to safeguard mission success. Founded by industry professionals with extensive knowledge in DoD, DISA, and other U.S. Government agencies, By Light successfully implements technical solutions that integrate commercial best practices to meet the needs of the government. For more information, visit https://bylight.com/.

About CompTIA:

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world's economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for unlocking the potential of the tech industry and its workforce. Learn more: https://www.comptia.org/.

About Infosec Learning

Infosec Learning provides colleges, universities, and businesses with innovative, impactful virtual labs for hands-on, personalized learning. The lab solution is an online, remote accessible laboratory environment giving students a real-world experience that provides the necessary skill-set readiness needed to perform security practitioner support. The virtual labs include step-by-step instruction and a "capture the flag" assessment feature to teach and to verify lessons learned. For more information, visit https://infoseclearning.com/.

Related link: https://www.bylight.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Awards and Honors, Business, Free News Articles, VAR and IT Consulting

With a Two-Year Revenue Growth of 149 Percent, Aligned Ranks No. 64 on Inc. Magazine’s List of the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Aligned Technology Solutions, an IT and security service partner that provides comprehensive IT & cybersecurity solutions for small to medium-sized businesses, ranked No. 64 on Inc. magazine's fourth annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Mid-Atlantic private companies, based in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Mid-Atlantic economy's most dynamic segment - its independent small businesses.

"Aligned Technology Solutions is elated to receive this award," said Don Sauer, a co-founder of Aligned. "This is our third consecutive appearance on an Inc. 5000 Regionals list. I thank our amazing clients and talented staff for helping us reach this incredible milestone. Our employees' dedication to our mission and go-giver attitude drives our continued success. We look forward to continuing to add value to our client's lives with our best IT services and solutions."

"Our Managed Services and Managed Security clients are always telling us how much they appreciate our world-class service," said Gar Whaley, Aligned co-founder. "We're ecstatic to provide clients with top-notch service and technology solutions that elevate their strategies - helping them to grow and secure their business. We're honored to be named to the Inc. 5000 Regional rankings."

The companies on this list show a remarkable rate of growth across all industries in the Mid-Atlantic region. Between 2019 and 2021, these 141 private companies had an average growth rate of 381 percent and, in 2021 alone, they added 14,439 jobs and $2.66 billion to the Mid-Atlantic region's economy. Companies based in the Richmond, Virginia and the Washington, D.C. areas had the highest growth rates overall.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic can be found at inc.com/mid-atlantic starting February 28, 2023 - including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria.

"This year's Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of America's off-the-charts growth companies. They're disrupters and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies you'll be hearing about for years to come," said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine.

About Aligned Technology Solutions

Aligned is an award-winning service provider that has supported organizations in leveraging and managing their technology since 2010. Businesses gain a powerful marketplace advantage when they partner with Aligned because they gain access to the latest in IT outsourcing, cybersecurity, compliance, and cloud solutions. A core belief demonstrated by the Aligned team is that all partners deserve world-class concierge care from highly skilled professionals.

Leaders that want to maximize their IT - and allow it to become a truly strategic asset to their organization - partner with Aligned. For more information, visit our Aligned Technology Solutions website or follow us @AlignedTechnologySolutions on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more: https://www.myalignedit.com/

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals

Methodology

The 2023 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2019 and 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent-not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies-as of December 31, 2021. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent.

The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

Related link: https://www.myalignedit.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Business, Free News Articles, VAR and IT Consulting

MSP Receives High Cybersecurity Rating, Driving Small Business Protection

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Aligned Technology Solutions, an IT and security service partner that provides highly customized solutions for small to medium-sized businesses, received a nearly perfect security score from a third-party risk rating vendor on February 3, 2022, showcasing its continual commitment to a strong security posture.

Data Strategies Drive Robust Cybersecurity

Aligned uses robust data-centric strategies to drive its resiliency against threat actors. Using SecurityScorecard, a Forester New Wave leader in cyber risk ratings, Aligned ensures their company and clients are protected.

Aligned scored an A, or better, in all categories with an overall score of 99/100. The analytics it receives from SecurityScorecard provide valuable data-driven insights into areas of vulnerability and help the organization's experts better allocate resources for improved security.

Building Trust with Stakeholders

Aligned regularly evaluates its security strength to ensure systems and data are secure. A third-party analysis is essential in giving organizations a "second opinion" on their environments.

"Using a trusted third party for ratings and assessments is critical to ensure organizations are doing what they say they are doing," said Justin Weeks, Aligned VP of Cybersecurity and Compliance. "It also helps identify areas they may not have thought to look."

Using a third-party vendor to monitor risks and compliance based on unbiased data establishes peace of mind for clients and other stakeholders.

"Aligned Technology Solutions continues to make investments and improvements as part of its security journey," said Weeks. "Our security is our client's security. We take secure management of their systems seriously and build trust with them with a validated cybersecurity posture."

Boosting Cybersecurity with SecurityScorecard

SecurityScorecard gives ratings to organizations on an A-F scales (0-100 points). The tool calculates scores on the following 10 risk factors:

* Network Security

* DNS Health

* Patching Cadence

* Endpoint Security

* IP Reputation

* Application Security

* Hacker Chatter

* Information Leak

* Social Engineering

* Cubit Score

Compared to an A score, companies that receive an F rating are nearly eight times more likely to be impacted by a data breach, based on SecurityScorecard's data from over 12 million company ratings. Organizations can strengthen their cybersecurity posture and prevent costly damages by developing a plan based on the data provided by the risk rating company.

Aligned continues to invest in its cybersecurity program, innovating processes and practices to drive its security into the future.

"Aligned will continue to progress in offering world-class managed services to our clients in an exceptionally secure way," said Weeks. "We understand its importance and continue to improve, never resting on our achievements."

For more information about Aligned Technology Solutions, please contact Brittany Watson at (703) 740-8797 or email at brittany@MyAlignedIT.com.

About Aligned Technology Solutions

Since 2010, ATS has helped organizations leverage and manage technology - allowing them to confidently grow and secure their businesses. The award-winning technology service provider delivers customized and comprehensive IT solutions for IT Outsourcing, Cybersecurity, Compliance, Cloud Services and VoIP. The ATS team is committed to providing world class customer service and best-of-breed technology solutions that provide our clients competitive advantage in their marketplace. Learn more at https://www.myalignedit.com/.

Related link: https://www.myalignedit.com/

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