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From apparel to clinical trials: Lululemon Founder Commits $100 Million to Find Cure for FSHD

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The world's most successful entrepreneurs are often willing to share how lessons learned and resilience have shaped their business sense, but few transcend their successes to optimistically forge a path to overcome one's biggest challenge "" their health.

Going public with his own story, Wilson, who was diagnosed with Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 2 (FSHD2) at age 32, announced he has committed $100 million and created a new venture, Solve FSHD, with the objective of finding a cure for FSHD by 2027, targeting the underlying genetic cause or improving muscle function and growth.

"Solve FSHD will accelerate the underfunded development of drugs and therapies to stop muscle degeneration, increase muscle strength and improve the quality of life for those living with this," said Wilson, who stopped playing squash 10 years ago because he could no longer lift a racquet over his head.

At 67, the serial entrepreneur and father of five boys says his upper body is "very wasted." His legs have lost significant muscle tissue and Wilson can see a time in the not–so–distant future when he will need the assistance of a wheelchair.

"I can still walk, but I must be very intentional and present, or I will trip and fall. I do see a day when I will be unable to walk on my own," said the Canadian entrepreneur and venture philanthropist. Currently, there is no cure for FSHD, a genetic disorder that has varying symptoms, severity, and progression. According to the Mayo Clinic, muscle weakness usually starts in the face, hip and shoulders. Onset usually occurs in the teenage years but can begin in childhood.

"It's one of the most prevalent adult muscular dystrophies. The investments of Solve FSHD now to help validate biomarkers and develop new therapies will pay dividends later for any company or researcher pursuing better therapies for FSHD. These investments form the foundation to support future clinical trials and serve as a seed for further funding and investment," adds Dr. Jeffrey Statland, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Statland has conducted clinical and research training in neuromuscular diseases, with a primary interest in FSHD.

"Solve FSHD will support projects that normally wouldn't receive funding, including bottlenecks in the pipeline and thereby accelerating the development of clinical trials and novel therapies. We can move quickly and pursue multiple projects simultaneously," Wilson said.

Scientists, biotech and biopharma companies, muscular degeneration specialists and other researchers working in similar muscular dystrophy fields are all encouraged to contact Solve FSHD. Solve FSHD is seeking to fund or invest in potential research partners, companies, and clinicians interested in advancing related research and clinical trials.

Solve FSHD also wants to hear from those with FSHD or who suspect they may have it, who can help by volunteering to join a contact registry for clinical trials.

"FSHD is life–altering and I know my future will be challenging," said Wilson. "I prefer not to sit in the stands but go out on the courts with my time and money to help this important cause so very close to my heart. In this way, there is something to smile about for those touched by FSHD."

About Solve FSHD
Solve FSHD is funding innovative biotech and biopharma research and development activities that accelerate novel treatments of Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) treatment. It is fully funded and created by Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Chip Wilson. The founder of yoga–inspired athletic apparel company Lululemon Athletica inc. has been living with FSHD for the last three decades of his life. He has committed $100 million of his own money to create Solve FSHD and kick–start funding into projects that fit the organization's mission: accelerate research into new therapies and find a cure for the disorder by 2027.

Future announcements for grant funding will be issued on Solve FSHD's website – https://solvefshd.com/

For early–stage companies, contact Solve FSHD at info@solvefshd.com.

If you have FSHD and want to find out about clinical trials or be included in the FSHD registry, please see Solve FSHD's website – https://solvefshd.com/

For media inquiries or to request a media interview, please contact:
Kamran Shaikh, Account Director
PR Associates
kshaikh@prassociates.com
778–846–5406


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8499351)

Technology Leaders Launch SustainableIT.org to Address Climate Change

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, a think tank of global technology leaders and Delphix, the industry leader for DevOps test data management, announced the formation of SustainableIT.org, a nonprofit organization focused on advancing global sustainability through technology leadership.

"Sustainability is the megatrend of the century," said Jedidiah Yueh, Founding Director of SustainableIT.org and Delphix Founder and CEO. "For too long, sustainability has been a problem for someone else to solve. Today, we're joining forces with technology leaders from the world's largest organizations to make sustainability our collective problem to solve."

Over the next decade technology systems will dramatically increase energy consumption and related environmental and carbon impact. And digital transformation programs are increasingly putting consumer data privacy at risk, a major governance concern.

Yet most organizations independently define their approach to sustainability, with no standard metrics or reporting for the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, societal, and governance.

SustainableIT.org will unite IT leaders and experts from around the world to define best practices and standard metrics for all three pillars of sustainability in order to drive transparency and progress toward a sustainable future.

"IT leaders and teams want to have more of an impact on sustainability initiatives. Launching SustainableIT.org represents an important moment in time for empowering IT to fulfill its promise""not just innovating for the business and our customers but to help save the world," said Brian Kirkland, Choice Hotels CIO.

SustainableIT.org is a nonprofit governed by global technology leaders with the support of partners and the technical advisor, Delphix. The founding board of directors includes:

As part of its mandate, SustainableIT.org will define sustainable transformation programs by industry, author best practices and frameworks, set standards and certifications, provide education and training, and raise awareness for environmental and societal programs that make our organizations and the world sustainable for generations to come.

"At Delphix, sustainability is core to our business and value. Our DevOps Data Platform reduces the environmental impact of application environments by 10x, and we govern and protect consumer data privacy for many of the world's biggest brands," said Yueh. "But we can do more. SustainableIT.org is our chance to galvanize the world's largest organizations to take clear and transparent actions that lead to a sustainable world."

About SustainableIT.org

SustainableIT.org is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing global sustainability through technology leadership. Our mission is to define sustainable transformation programs by industry, author best practices and frameworks, set standards and certifications, provide education and training, and raise awareness for environmental and societal programs that make our organizations and the world sustainable for generations to come. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About Delphix

Delphix is the industry leader for DevOps test data management.

Businesses need to transform application delivery but struggle to balance speed with data security and compliance. Our DevOps Data Platform automates data security, while rapidly deploying test data to accelerate application releases. With Delphix, customers modernize applications, adopt multi–cloud, achieve CI/CD, and recover from downtime events such as ransomware up to 2x faster.

Leading companies, including Choice Hotels, Banco Carrefour, and Fannie Mae, use Delphix to accelerate digital transformation and enable zero trust data management. Visit us at www.delphix.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Contact:

Orlando de Bruce
VP of Corporate Marketing & Brand
Orlando.Debruce@delphix.com


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8498627)

Call for Entries Issued for The 19th Annual International Business Awards®

FAIRFAX, Va., March 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Stevie Awards are now accepting nominations for The 19th Annual International Business Awards , the world's premier business awards competition, which attracts nominations from organizations in more than 60 nations and territories each year.

All individuals and organizations worldwide "" public and private, for–profit and non–profit, large and small "" may submit nominations to The International Business Awards. The early–bird entry deadline, with reduced entry fees, is 6 April. The final entry deadline is 11 May, but late entries will be accepted through 15 June with payment of a late fee. Entry details are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Juries featuring more than 150 executives around the world will determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners. Winners will be announced on 15 August and celebrated at a gala banquet in Europe in October.

The International Business Awards recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace. Categories include:

There are many new and revised features of The International Business Awards for 2022:

  • Nine new event awards categories, ten new innovation in social media categories, three thought leadership categories, three video categories, three mobile site & app categories, two new product categories, and categories for Achievement in Diversity & Inclusion and Influencer Marketing Campaign of the Year
  • Nominations that won in the 2021 IBAs may be resubmitted for consideration in the 2022 IBAs. If they have been updated with recent achievements, they may be submitted to the same categories in which they won. If they have not been updated, they must be submitted to categories different from those in which they won.
  • In many of the category groups and categories you may now submit a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, illustrating the nominee's achievements, instead of the traditional Stevie Awards written essay.

Stevie Award winners in the 2021 IBAs included Ayala Land (Philippines), Cvent (USA), Ernst & Young Global Limited (UK), Etihad Airways Group (UAE), IBM (USA), Halkbank (Turkey), HP Inc. (USA), Google (USA), Nestle India (India), PJ Lhuillier, Inc (Philippines), Rufus & Coco (Australia), Philip Morris International (Switzerland), Polish Railway Lines (Poland), SAP SE (Germany), and many more.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia–Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards , The International Business Awards , the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Contact:
Nina Moore
+1 (703) 547–8389
Nina@StevieAwards.com


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8498755)

INVNT® Higher Ed Bolsters Team, Welcoming Josh Johns as Vice President of Creative Strategy

New York, March 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — INVNT Higher Ed, the live and experiential higher education storytelling division of INVNT and global umbrella enterprise [INVNT GROUP] , announces Josh Johns as new Vice President of Creative Strategy.

Johns has spent the last ten years leading branding, communications, and launch strategies for new initiatives and fundraising campaigns with many of the top universities, health care systems, and non–profit institutions across the United States. Throughout his career, Johns has helped institutions launch fundraising campaigns of $500 million to $5 billion for higher education and healthcare institutions.

Prior to joining the INVNT Higher Ed Team, Johns held the role of Chief Creative Officer at Feats Inc., and led branding, communications, and launch strategies for a multitude of prestigious institutions including Duke University, Harvard Business School, INSEAD, the University of California, Irvine, New York University, and M.I.T. Johns has also worked as a creative director in film and advertising, and served in product marketing management roles at internet start–ups, and across the software industry.

Tapping into a powerful stack of omnichannel engagement strategies, creative direction, and deep networks in the higher education realm, Johns will leverage his expertise to expand the reach of INVNT Higher Ed.

"Among the most impressive of Josh's talents is his creativity and commitment to challenging the way colleges and universities engage with their audiences across all platforms. His thought leadership and deep industry knowledge align perfectly with INVNT Higher Ed's position as the go–to partner for the most forward–thinking schools," said Sarah Winkler, Senior Vice President of INVNT Higher Ed.

INVNT Higher Ed is dedicated to providing universities and colleges with strategically and creatively led physical and virtual experiences that challenge convention, while engaging and uniting communities. The division – part of the global live brand story telling agency INVNT – is led by industry veterans Sarah Winkler, Senior Vice President, and JoAnn Peroutka, Vice President. They each bring more than 25 years' experience to the agency. Over the course of their careers, they have successfully designed and delivered higher education events including campaign launches, regional tours, centennial and sesquicentennial celebrations, and presidential transitions for internationally renowned institutions.

"We first introduced our INVNT Higher Ed offering at a time when the world was experiencing a seismic shift in how we connected to one another. Globally, we saw our universities, colleges, and other institutions grappling with world concerns – many of which continue to evolve. The expansion of the INVNT Higher Ed division is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling and community building. We are proud of the deep partnerships cultivating alongside the global "challenge everything' brands and institutions that put their trust in us," said Kristina McCoobery, CEO of INVNT and COO of [INVNT GROUP].

As Vice President of Creative Strategy, Johns will articulate INVNT Higher Ed's vision through strategic engagement–driven campaigns, powered by INVNT's "Challenge Everything' mantra, to deliver compelling, innovative, and authentic brand storytelling.

“Higher Ed is going through a period of tremendous change, and there's a lot of opportunity for institutions to rethink and reimagine how they're telling their stories. I'm excited to be able to leverage the expertise and creativity across the INVNT Group to explore new models for engagement and break new ground in how universities use innovation and technology to reach their most important audiences,” said Josh Johns.

To learn more about the INVNT Higher Ed team and their mission to create innovative strategies and live events for higher education, please visit our website.

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About INVNT Higher Ed
A division of award–winning global live brand storytelling agency, INVNT, INVNT Higher Ed specializes in providing colleges and universities with strategically and creatively led physical and virtual experiences that challenge convention and unite and excite audiences. Led by Senior Vice–President, Sarah Winkler, JoAnn Peroutka, Vice–President, the division draws on INVNT's award–winning challenger positioning and approach and their combined experience in higher ed to curate tailored solutions that communicate institutions' mission and purpose and engage and mobilize entire communities. Visit www.invnt.com/highered for more.

About INVNT
Founded in 2008 by Scott Cullather and Kristina McCoobery, INVNT uses the craft of live brand storytelling to Challenge Everything, producing live experiences that excite and unite physical and virtual audiences, globally. The company's "challenge everything' positioning statement helps clients including General Motors, Microsoft, Merck, PepsiCo., and Samsung share their stories with every audience that matters. Part of [INVNT GROUP], THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT, INVNT's offices are strategically located in New York "" where its INVNT Higher Ed division is also based "" London, Sydney, Detroit, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Stockholm, and Singapore. Visit www.invnt.com for more.

About [INVNT GROUP]
[INVNT GROUP] was established in 2020, as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful, well–articulated BrandStory across all platforms. Headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP], THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward–thinking organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative–led culture consultancy, Meaning; branded content studio and content marketing agency HEV', INVNT Higher Ed; events for colleges and universities, and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. Visit www.invntgroup.com for more.

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GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8498759)