NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Broadway Licensing Global (BLG), formerly known as Broadway Licensing Group, announces it is embarking on a significant transformation that includes the introduction of a London office. BLG also announces its name change, signaling the start of an era of global expansion.
Great Newport Street, London. (Credit: Robert Evans / Alamy Stock Photo)
The curtain rises on a contemporary workplace, strategically poised in the heart of London’s West End theatre district. This transformative move signals the beginning of a meticulously planned worldwide journey, beginning with a physical location on Great Newport Street, designed to cater to an expanding professional and non-professional clientele and visionary producers across the United Kingdom. The London office promises to be a creative hub, amplifying the BLG brand, engaging the community, fueling licensing growth, and delivering exceptional customer service.
Since its founding in 2017, with a catalog of approximately 900 titles, the company has exhibited an “extraordinary 742% growth surge,” as previously reported in MSN, and which has “positioned BLG as the fastest-growing catalog for live stage plays and musicals globally.” Today, BLG represents more than 8,000 plays and musicals, including 39 Tony Awards® and 49 Pulitzer Prize-winning works.
Moreover, with its most recent announcement of the acquisition of the amateur licensing rights for cultural phenomenon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the timing of its international expansion is a must. “A physical office in the UK will enable the company to ensure best-in-class practices in the representation of our underlying rights holders and our growing collection of titles,” says Sean Cercone, Founder and CEO of BLG. “Now, with the inclusion of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, our team is eager to shoulder the responsibility to expand its footprint with additional physical locations in key territories across the globe.”
Broadway Licensing Global and its family of imprints (Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, and Stage Rights) is the global leader in theatrical licensing and distribution. Representing an astonishing 38 Tony Awards® and 49 Pulitzer Prize-winning iconic works, BLG titles epitomize the greatest collection of authors, composers, lyricists, and underlying rights holders across the globe, including Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Lynn Nottage, Alan Menken, Stephen King, Elvis, the Bee-Gees, the Beatles, and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.
3-year results of Allergy & Asthma Network’s Trusted Messengers asthma coaching program show improved symptom control and quality of life
FAIRFAX, Va., Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Adults with uncontrolled asthma who take part in virtual asthma coaching show improved asthma control and quality of life, and experience fewer doctor or emergency department visits. Those are the key findings of a new impact report summarizing Allergy & Asthma Network’s innovative Virtual Asthma Coaching program.
The Virtual Asthma Coaching program is part of Trusted Messengers, Allergy & Asthma Network’s largest health equity initiative. It is a novel approach to help people with asthma, particularly those living in under-resourced communities, better understand their condition and improve their asthma self-management skills.
The program involves 1-on-1 personalized coaching with six weeks of digital check-ins by a certified asthma educator.
“Our Virtual Asthma Coaching program saves lives,” says Lynda Mitchell, CEO of Allergy & Asthma Network. “This unique national initiative starts by establishing trust in communities so that we can address health inequities and expand access to healthcare for under-resourced groups. It drives community engagement by empowering lifestyle changes and healthy behaviors through education. It uses digital innovation to translate patient data insights into personalized care.”
The Virtual Asthma Coaching program began in 2020 as a pilot program during Allergy & Asthma Network’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Network recognized that people in Black and Hispanic/Latino communities were at higher risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
Working with doctors, asthma educators, physician assistants, respiratory therapists and other healthcare professionals, the Network co-hosted outreach events with the support of trusted messengers at churches, health fairs and community centers.
The Network screened people for asthma and provided COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. People found to be at high risk for moderate to severe asthma were invited to enroll in the Virtual Asthma Coaching program.
Asthma Coaching Impact
In 2022, Allergy & Asthma Network hosted 17 Trusted Messengers lung screening events and engaged with more than 2,500 people in communities nationwide. The 217 adults who enrolled in the Asthma Coaching program reported better knowledge in managing their asthma, fewer asthma attacks, and greater confidence in asking questions at their healthcare appointments.
People with very poorly controlled asthma who completed the six-week program reported:
2.42 fewer days with symptoms;
1.33 fewer days of nighttime awakenings due to asthma;
1.63 fewer days using quick-relief medication.
People who identified as Black and completed the six-week program reported:
1.53 fewer days with asthma symptoms;
1.08 fewer days with nighttime awakenings due to asthma.
In addition, people who had an annual income less than $50,000 and completed the six-week program reported 2.25 fewer days with asthma symptoms, a decline of 1.47 days from baseline.
“Asthma coaching gave me tools and strategies to help me manage my health,” Frenika Rivers, a patient with severe asthma, says. “I was given suggestions on how to remember to take my medication. I was educated about what signs I need to look for to identify an asthma attack. I’m better prepared to ask the right questions when I go to the pulmonologist. It empowered me to take more control of my health.”
In late 2022, the Network expanded Trusted Messengers and the Virtual Asthma Coaching program to address the needs of the Hispanic/Latino communities, offering the program in Spanish language.
In 2023 and 2024, Trusted Messengers is focused on securing partnerships with groups that want to bring the program to their local communities. It was recently expanded to offer patient education for food allergies, environmental allergies, eczema, and related conditions.
Health Equity Focus
More than 25 million people live with asthma in the United States. This includes approximately 4 million Black, 2.3 million Hispanic/Latino and 278,000 Native American people. U.S. asthma rates are highest among Black (10.9%) and Native American people (12%). People from Puerto Rico have more than twice the asthma rate (16.1%) compared to the overall Hispanic population (6.4%).
Asthma disparities that impact Black, Hispanic/Latino and Native American communities have worsened during a period of remarkable advancement in asthma diagnosis, management and treatment. This has resulted in patterns of poor adherence to treatment, reduced productivity at work and school, poor quality of life, and increased disease morbidity and mortality.
“We are committed to including health equity within all our initiatives and programs – and to serving as a voice for those who need it most,” Mitchell said.
Trusted Messengers is a public-private partnership designed to improve health outcomes. It’s funded through generous support of founding sponsor Sanofi, as well as Amgen, AstraZeneca, Genentech, Johnson & Johnson Innovations, Novartis and Regeneron.
Founded in 1985, Allergy & Asthma Network is the leading nonprofit outreach, education, advocacy and research organization for individuals and families living with allergies, asthma and related conditions. Our mission is simple yet profound: to end needless death and suffering, empower people to take control of their health and well-being, and make healthcare more inclusive, equitable and accessible for people living with these conditions. We are committed to raising awareness, promoting understanding, offering resources, fostering collaboration, and advocating for policies and research that enhance quality of life for everyone impacted by these conditions. We specialize in making medically accurate information understandable to all while promoting evidence-based care.
Contact: Gary Fitzgerald Allergy & Asthma Network 703-641-9595 [email protected]
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The American Transportation Research Institute, the trucking industry’s not-for-profit research organization, today launched an online application for industry stakeholders interested in being considered for a position on ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee. ATRI’s RAC is comprised of government officials, academics, professional truck drivers, trucking company executives and suppliers from a diverse cross-section of the industry, all who understand the importance of sound science to an industry as complex as the trucking industry. The RAC is charged with annually recommending a research agenda for the Institute.
Since ATRI’s first RAC in 2002, over 220 individuals have been appointed to serve by ATRI’s Board of Directors. ATRI’s diverse portfolio of critical industry research is representative of the collective input of these engaged industry stakeholders who annually identify trucking’s top research needs.
The newly launched online application form allows individuals to indicate their interest in being considered and to more fully describe how their unique experience and perspective would contribute to the research identification process. Additionally, there is a separate form for individuals to nominate a colleague who they believe would be a strong candidate for the RAC.
If appointed to serve on the RAC by the ATRI Board of Directors, RAC members serve two-year terms and are required to attend one annual in-person meeting and participate throughout the year in ad hoc research webinars. Additionally, RAC members are expected to support the Institute through active participation in ATRI’s research initiatives.
The online application form is available on ATRI’s website here. Applications received will be reviewed next summer for potential nomination for the 2025-2026 Research Advisory Committee.
“Serving on ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee is one of the most sought-after industry appointments and this new online application form will allow us to more formally solicit interest and thoroughly review candidates prior to being considered by the ATRI Board of Directors,” said ATRI President Rebecca Brewster.
ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Berk Communications, an award-winning, independent public relations firm, announced today that it has been retained by Rao’s, the famed Italian restaurant originally opened in 1896. Berk will be primarily responsible for handling the brand’s expansion into the Miami market.
Rao’s is a culinary national treasure. Widely acclaimed for its authentic, southern Neapolitan Italian cooking and its home-style family ambiance.
“When we embarked on an agency search, it was essential that we found a partner that understood our dedication to quality, heritage and most importantly family, as we get ready to open in the Miami market,” said Frank Pellegrino Jr. and Ron Straci, co-owners of Rao’s. “Berk Communications is committed to telling our story, and we’re excited to have them join our team.”
Rao’s opened 127 years ago in Harlem, New York and is celebrated as one of the oldest family owned and operated restaurants running in the country. Staying true to original family recipes and dedicated to honoring the restaurant’s legacy, Rao’s co-owners Frank Pellegrino Jr. and Ron Straci maintain a menu that pairs generations of authenticity and love with freshness and flavor. The restaurant currently has a location in Los Angeles and will expand into the Miami market in the back half of 2023.
“Rao’s is a one-of-a-kind restaurant offering delicious food, meaningful history, passion and outstanding ambiance,” said Ron Berkowitz, Founder & CEO of Berk Communications. “We can’t wait to collaborate with this amazing team and bring this iconic brand to Miami.”
Led by Berkowitz and Executive Vice President Marisa Carstens, Berk’s efforts will be focused on launching Rao’s in the Miami market adjacent to the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. The agency will handle local and national media relations, event planning, partnerships, and social media management. Berk previously worked with Rao’s to support pop-up experiences at major events like the Superbowl.
Berk Communications is a two-time finalist for PRWeek US Awards’ Outstanding Small Agency and has routinely been named a top-ranked PR firm across several categories including sports, fashion and lifestyle, food & beverage, travel & economic development.
About Berk Communications: Berk Communications is an award-winning, independent public relations firm with expertise across a variety of verticals including sports and lifestyle, food and beverage, travel and tourism, business and technology, and cannabis. The agency is also recognized for its reputation management practice which provides strategic communications services for high-profile entrepreneurs, athletes, celebrities, and musicians. The agency’s roster of category leaders, challenger brands, and startups includes Caesars Entertainment, Roc Nation, Major League Soccer, Comcast, PUMA, Foot Locker, The Cheesecake Factory, REFORM Alliance, and a premier group of talent and executives including Aaron Judge, Alex Rodriguez, Michael Rubin, Alexander Zverev, CC Sabathia, Adoree’ Jackson and Colleen Quigley. To learn more visit www.berkcommunications.com or follow us on Twitter (@BerkComm), Instagram (@BerkComm), Facebook (@BerkComm), or LinkedIn.
Johnson Pump Marine’s Aqua Void Cartridge Bilge Pump provides convenience and efficiency to recreational boating
TAMPA, Fla. , Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Johnson Pump Marine, a brand of SPX FLOW, unveiled its latest offering in marine technology, the Aqua Void Cartridge Bilge Pump, featuring an industry-first quick-change motor connection that offers boaters ease and efficiency.
Unparalleled convenience: The pump is designed with single-handed access, perfect for tight bilge spaces. It provides quick installation and removal of the pump body, along with an easy click-in basket for simple installation, cleaning or inspection.
Industry-first quick-change motor connection: This feature means quick and hassle-free cartridge motor changes or capacity upgrades.
Enhanced efficiency and higher flow rate: With an enhanced motor and high-flow impeller, it uses the latest technology to achieve heightened efficiency and an increased flow rate while conserving energy consumption.
Reliable performance under demanding conditions:Johnson Pump Marine is renowned for industry-leading reliability. The Aqua Void features robust construction and meticulous engineering, ensuring durability and performance even in the toughest environments.
Michael Strålman, General Manager, Johnson Pump Marine: “This pump was designed with all boaters in mind. When you’re out on the water — whether it’s a lake or ocean, fishing or simply relaxing — ease, convenience and reliability are essential. We are excited to share this new bilge pump that brings all those features and more to our customers.”
About SPX FLOW, Inc. Based in Charlotte, N.C., SPX FLOW, Inc. improves the world through innovative and sustainable solutions. The company’s product offering is concentrated in process technologies that perform mixing, blending, fluid handling, separation, thermal heat transfer and other activities that are integral to processes performed across a wide variety of nutrition, health, and industrial markets. SPX FLOW has operations in more than 25 countries and sales in more than 140 countries. To learn more about SPX FLOW, please visit www.spxflow.com.
Media Contact: Melissa Buscher, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer [email protected]
Funding to Support Expanded Access to Whole-Child, Value-Based, Outcomes-Driven Autism Care
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cortica, the United States’ leading physician-led, whole-child, value-based autism services company, has raised $40 million in a Series D extension, bringing the total Series D round to $115 million. The extension was entirely strategic, led by CVS Health Ventures, in conjunction with LRVHealth, Ascension Investment Management (a subsidiary of Ascension), and the University of Wisconsin Foundation.
“There is an increasing need for access to evidence-based care for children with neurodivergent conditions and autism, and we believe that Cortica is well positioned to help support our members and their dependents by deploying an integrated, medical and behavioral care model,” said Justin Brock, partner at CVS Health Ventures. “Through our investment and collaboration with Cortica, we believe that we can help improve the overall quality of care for individuals with autism, as well as provide support to their caregivers.”
Founded to fix the fragmented care journey families typically experience when seeking diagnoses and treatments, Cortica’s whole-child, whole-family, value-based care model for autism spans medical treatment, neurodiversity-affirming behavioral therapy, developmental therapy (encompassing speech, occupational, physical, and music therapies), and family support and counseling.
Cortica’s care model has shown improved outcomes across conditions that frequently co-occur with autism, including sleep disorders, seizures, psychiatric comorbidities, and gastrointestinal, communication, behavioral, and sensorimotor issues, among others – while utilizing less than 50% of standard applied behavioral analysis volumes, limiting the use of antipsychotic and stimulant medications, and reducing emergency department and inpatient admissions.
Cortica delivers on multiple metrics related to the healthcare effectiveness data and information set (HEDIS), one of the healthcare industry’s most widely used performance tools. Cortica’s value proposition has led to four whole-child value-based care contracts, with several more in the pipeline.
“After working closely with our strategic network and developing a deep thesis on autism, one of the most complex challenges in healthcare, we’re thrilled to have discovered and invested in Cortica,” said Ellen Herlacher, principal at LRVHealth. “Cortica’s validated care model and technology platform improve clinical outcomes, enhance the healthcare experience, and reduce waste in the system.”
The additional funding will support the company’s continued national scaling of whole-child autism value-based care, as well as deeper investments in technology, data capture, clinical decision support, research, and optimization of the clinician and patient experience.
“I’m deeply grateful to have the support of these impactful and visionary strategic partners,” said Neil Hattangadi, MD, co-founder and CEO of Cortica. “With 1 in 36 children in the United States now affected with autism, and that prevalence continually climbing, partnerships between the field’s most innovative clinicians, strategic investors, health plans, and health systems are essential to defragment the traditional care model and evolve the reimbursement paradigm. We can no longer wait. Collectively, we’re in a position to solve one of the most pressing challenges confronting humanity.”
About Cortica Inc. Cortica’s mission is to design and deliver life changing care – one child, one family, one community at a time. Founded in 2017, Cortica now employs more than 1,800 experts across disciplines, including pediatric neurologists, developmental pediatricians, epileptologists, pediatric nurse practitioners, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, music therapists, board certified behavior analysts, marriage and family therapists, and more. The researchers and physicians in the company’s Cortica Innovation Network conduct outcomes research, serve as global leaders in clinical trial recruitment, and have assembled the largest long and wide dataset in autism and neurodevelopment. Cortica will serve more than 12,000 children and their families this year. For more information, visit corticacare.com.
About CVS Health Ventures CVS Health Ventures is a dedicated corporate venture capital fund that works with high-potential, early-stage and growth-stage companies focused on making health care more accessible, affordable, and simpler. The company focuses on investments that transform care delivery and focus on whole person care, consumer-centric health, and disruptive technology enablement. CVS Health Ventures’ goal is to enable promising entrepreneurs to scale more quickly and effectively through access to their unmatched enterprise capabilities and consumer touchpoints, while offering expertise and insights from their company’s unique perspective. For more information, visit cvshealth.com/health-care-redefined/ventures.html.
About LRVHealth LRVHealth is the “Inside Healthcare” venture capital platform. Through a network of strategic limited partners that includes leading providers, payers, and vendors and touches half of all healthcare consumers in the U.S., LRVHealth applies industry knowledge and operational experience to early-stage companies focused on innovation. LRVHealth’s exclusive focus is helping to transform healthcare by forging partnerships among its network members and the entrepreneurs addressing the industry’s biggest challenges and opportunities. For more information, visit lrvhealth.com.
About Ascension Investment Management, LLC Ascension Investment Management (AIM) is an SEC-registered investment adviser with a mission to help faith-based organizations meet their operating, investment, and mission goals by investing its clients’ capital according to their values. AIM is a Missouri limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ascension Capital, LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ascension, one of the nation’s leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, with a Mission of delivering compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. For more information, visit ascensioninvestmentmanagement.com.
About the University of Wisconsin Foundation The University of Wisconsin Foundation (UWF) raises, invests in, and distributes funds for the benefit of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. UWF’s mission is to help ensure that the University of Wisconsin-Madison has the financial resources necessary to maintain its national leadership in teaching, innovative research, and outreach. For more information, visit supportuw.org.
Press Contact Sarah Wall Communications Manager, Cortica [email protected]
