Volvo Cars has chosen the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit to launch its new signature premium sedan, the S90, underscoring its long term commitment to the U.S. market and providing a clear sign of its confidence in continued sales growth in the coming year.
Volvo sales in the U.S. increased 24.3 per cent in 2015, with an especially strong performance at the end of the year with sales rising 87 per cent in October, 90 per cent in November and 89.9 per cent in December, driven by continued strong sales of the XC60 crossover and the new XC90 SUV.
“There are strong indications that Volvo is back on track in the U.S.,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President of the Americas at Volvo Car Group. “We expect this strong sales momentum to continue in 2016, helped by the new S90.”
The launch of the S90 highlights the ambition of the Swedish car maker, following an $11bn investment and the recent breaking of ground in Charleston, South Carolina, where Volvo Cars will build its first American production facility, employing around 2,000 workers.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7709951-kbb-naias-2016-detroit/
Chocolate-lovers beware! Zombies in search of their next victim haunt Jean Philippe Pâtisserie at Bellagio and ARIA with Halloween-themed displays at both iconic pastry shop locations. From gory and gruesome body parts to whimsical cakes and pastries, the displays cater to every guest, no matter how they prefer to celebrate the holiday. Executive Pastry Chef Claude Escamilla and his talented team worked diligently for eight months to create more than 45 festive showpieces that place the undead at center stage. With a year of planning, countless sketches and hundreds of ideas from skilled pastry artists, the final display showcases their hard work through a cake closely resembling human flesh, tombstones straight out of a horror movie and many more hair-raising pieces.
“I was very much inspired by my favorite TV program, “The Walking Dead,” said Escamilla. “When I was watching the show, I kept thinking about how I could take the characters and turn them into life-size creations for the holiday.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7934451-jean-philippe-patisserie-bellagio-aria/
Fight for the hungry, fight for the homeless and fight for the hopeless. Newly appointed Commissioner David Hudson, National Commander of The Salvation Army, has issued a call for action as the holiday season approaches. As one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the country, with a presence in every ZIP code and a structure akin to the military, The Salvation Army is asking supporters to join the Fight for Good, the official theme of the 2017 Red Kettle Campaign.
“With the holiday season on the horizon, now more than ever we see the challenges of those faced with hardship,” said Commissioner Hudson. “There are families who don’t know where their next meal will come from, parents choosing between Christmas presents and the utility bill, and the recent natural disasters have displaced hundreds of thousands of people who don’t know where they will have a warm bed, if at all. It is more important than ever that we lift others up during the holidays.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8179631-salvation-army-red-kettle-fight-for-good/
An international survey conducted by GSK and released for World Meningitis Day shows gaps in the knowledge parents feel they have about meningococcal disease and its potential consequences. Almost 7 in 10 parents said they don’t know enough about the different strains of meningococcal disease and the potential damage they can cause. On average, more than half of parents were either unsure or unaware that there are different types of bacteria that cause the disease.
The survey of 5,000 parents in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy and Portugal also shows that out of a list of 14 vaccine-preventable diseases, meningococcal disease is considered by many parents to pose a top three health risk to their children. Fifty-seven percent listed meningococcal disease among the top three health conditions they considered of greatest risk to children followed by Hepatitis B at 34 percent, pneumococcal disease at 27 percent, polio at 25 percent, tetanus at 20 percent and pertussis at 17 percent.
A sudden, potentially life-threatening illness, meningococcal disease kills on average one person every eight minutes worldwide. It typically manifests as bacterial meningitis – an infection of the membrane around the brain and spine; or bacteraemia – a bloodstream infection. The disease progresses rapidly and it can lead to death within 24-48 hours of the first symptoms; globally up to 1 in 10 of those infected may die and in the US about 10-15 percent of people will die.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7814851-gsk-survey-world-meningitis-day/
What should William Shatner shout for you? The award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist and horseman can now add “greeting card personality” to his long list of impressive professional accomplishments with the launch of the newest American Greetings customizable ecard. Set to the classic song “Shout,” William Shatner brings his incomparable and hilarious style of spoken-word singing – complete with backup singers and flashing lights – to this unforgettable way to connect with all your favorite people.
“What a unique and fun way to say something nice to a friend or even an enemy,” said Shatner. “You send this ecard and you’ll laugh.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7826151-american-greetings-william-shatner-ecard/
An estimated 48 million people in the United States have hearing loss, yet only 20 percent of people who could benefit from a hearing aid wear one. Cost is a major barrier as the average price of a hearing aid is $1,500 per ear, and can run as high as $3,000-$5,000 each. With the introduction of HearTEK™ Leasing from EPIC Hearing Healthcare (EPIC), individuals with hearing loss now have access to the latest name brand hearing aid technology without the barrier of huge upfront costs and with the peace of mind that they will not be locked into out-of-date technology.
“Consumers have gotten used to many of the benefits of leasing their smartphones – no one wants to pay upfront for technology that could be quickly outdated as hearing aid manufacturers regularly introduce new devices with updated features,” said Brad Volkmer, president and CEO, EPIC Hearing Healthcare. “The HearTEK Leasing program is an affordable new way to give more people with hearing loss access to quality hearing aid technology, so they can start hearing life to the fullest.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7808551-epic-heartek-leasing-hearing-aid/
Lake Research Partners and Bellwether Research and Consulting recently released a new national poll sponsored by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) that finds likely 2016 voters have widespread and serious concerns about ethanol’s unintended consequences—including damage to engines, land conversion and food prices.
“Voters across party lines express grave concerns for the impacts of the corn ethanol mandate from the Renewable Fuel Standard that touch many parts of their lives from the cars they drive to the food they buy,” said Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners. “They strongly support bi-partisan proposals that would reduce the impact of corn ethanol, and particularly support the Environmental Protection Agency reducing the amount of corn ethanol required by law.”
As the EPA recently closed the comment period on its proposed ethanol volumes for 2014, 2015 and 2016, the poll also shows that 67 percent of people favor the agency setting ethanol volumes below what is required by law, with 68 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans supporting volumes lower than the statute.
To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7576751-ama-national-ethanol-voter-poll/
Lockheed Martin has launched Generation Beyond, a first of its kind, national educational program to bring the science of space into thousands of homes and classrooms across America. The Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program is designed to inspire the next generation of innovators, explorers, inventors and pioneers to pursue STEM careers.
“Our children — the elementary, middle and high school students of today — make up a generation that will change our universe forever. This is the generation that will walk on Mars, explore deep space and unlock mysteries that we can’t yet imagine,” said Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “They won’t get there alone. It is our job to prepare, inspire and equip them to build the future – and that’s exactly what Generation Beyond is designed to do.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7794451-lockheed-martin-generation-beyond/
Combining their expertise in clinical trials support and cellular therapies, BloodCenter of Wisconsin (BCW) and the San Diego Blood Bank (SDBB) have created a strategic partnership to accelerate advancements in research and patient care. Together, BloodCenter of Wisconsin and San Diego Blood Bank will offer Celluvative™ – a portfolio of products and clinical trial services that will include esoteric laboratory testing, blood products for research and manufacturing applications, cell processing, and access to a broad database of diverse donors who have expressed interest in clinical trials.
“Through the strength of our partnership, we are able to offer end-to-end services to academic organizations, research institutions and other industry partners who are working to develop novel cellular therapy approaches,” said Matthew Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., medical director, BloodCenter of Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories. “Among other offerings, our Celluvative portfolio enables access to an extremely diverse donor database – an invaluable resource to enable advances in the area of regenerative medicine and drug discovery.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7855451-bloodcenter-sdbb-celluvative/
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ: BOBE), is proud to announce its commitment to support America’s active duty, veterans, and their families with the launch of its “Our Farm Salutes” campaign. As part of the program, Bob Evans Farms has painted its iconic barn purple, a color that represents every branch of service, and is donating $200,000 as well as thousands of meals to support the Gary Sinise Foundation’s (GSF) Serving Heroes program, an initiative that provides meals to active duty, veterans, and their families as a way of showing gratitude for their service and sacrifice.
“Supporting the men and women that serve our country has always been a part of the culture at Bob Evans Farms, and we could not be more excited to further our commitment of showing gratitude by encouraging others to join us as we salute all of those that unselfishly serve us,” said Bob Evans Farms, Inc. President and CEO Saed Mohseni. “In painting the Bob Evans barn purple and partnering with the Gary Sinise Foundation in support of their Serving Heroes program, we are making it known that ‘Our Farm Salutes’ all of America’s active duty, veterans, and their families.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7865851-bob-evans-our-farm-salutes/
Call it a homecoming.
When Toyota introduced Lexus to the U.S. market in 1989, the Georgetown, Ky., plant – its first stand-alone vehicle manufacturing facility in America – was just in its second year of producing the Camry.
Fast forward 26 years and that same plant is celebrating the start of U.S. Lexus production. Today at a ceremony fit for a luxury brand king, the first-ever U.S.-produced ES 350 was unveiled before several thousand proud team members in Georgetown. And, just like a newborn foal at the nearby horse farms in Central Kentucky, the newcomer was brought into the world with plenty of TLC and hope for a bright future.
“This is really a proud moment for us and brings us full circle,” said Wil James, president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. “To be the first wholly owned plant, building the number one best-selling car in America, the Camry, for 13 years in a row, and then to be selected to build the first Lexus is truly a tribute to our team members.”
For the past two and a half years, the Kentucky plant – Toyota’s largest in North America – has been gearing up to make the ES 350, Lexus’ best-selling sedan in the U.S. In all, $360 million was invested toward a new dedicated assembly line, adding 750 new jobs. Total capacity for the new line will be 50,000 vehicles.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7655351-lexus-kentucky-plant-es-350/
BGC Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: BGCP) (“BGC Partners” or “BGC”), a leading global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets, announced today that BGC, together with its affiliate Cantor Fitzgerald, raised approximately $12 million for charities around the world, at the companies’ 11th annual Charity Day on Friday, September 11, 2015. Each year, BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald donate 100% of the global revenues generated on Charity Day to the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund and dozens of charities around the world.
“Since first established 11 years ago, Charity Day has symbolized the importance our company places on making a difference in the world and paying tribute in a positive way to the loved ones we lost on this anniversary of a day that is forever in our memory,” said Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BGC Partners. “We are honored to be able to support a multitude of worthy charities and causes around the world and I am deeply grateful for the generosity our clients, partners and employees have continued to demonstrate for our philanthropic efforts on Charity Day and throughout the year.”
Charity Day has raised approximately $125 million globally since its inception. Held in commemoration of the 658 Cantor employees and 61 Eurobrokers employees lost in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, Charity Day, in conjunction with the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, has expanded its mission to assist charitable causes worldwide.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7623951-cantor-bgc-partners-charity-day-2015/
