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Anime Creator and Culture Brand Azuki Taps Steve Chung as New COO

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Former FOX and CJ ENM executive Chung joins Azuki with over two decades of experience across Hollywood, Korean entertainment and Silicon Valley

LOS ANGELES, June 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Azuki, an anime community platform and digital art collection, today announced the hiring of Steve Chung as the company’s inaugural Chief Operating Officer. Chung is a veteran media and technology executive with nearly two decades of experience driving growth for some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Korean media and Silicon Valley. In this new role, Chung will spearhead the growth and expansion of Azuki as one of the hottest start-ups in the rapidly growing anime industry, helping to shape its vision for the future of anime entertainment.

“Even as a new entrant, Azuki already has a proven track record of building a passionate community and has a clear vision of how to build IP and experiences tailor made for anime fans, working alongside some of the greatest creators in the industry to achieve something that’s never been done before,” said Chung. “I am thrilled to join this world-class team to develop the next generation powerhouse in the industry as anime content and consumers quickly expand to become an ever more important and mainstream segment of global media.”

Under Chung’s leadership, Azuki will expand its presence in both the anime and entertainment industries, with a strong roadmap of new content and products. Central to this effort will be leveraging his expertise in web2 traditional media to bridge Azuki’s web3 brand into this new market. As the transition from web2 to web3 accelerates, Chung will play a pivotal role in positioning Azuki to capitalize on this new media landscape. He will lead key growth initiatives for Azuki, leveraging his extensive knowledge of media and brand development to secure partnerships and collaborations with anime creators as well as other leading brands in entertainment.

Chung will also separately be signing up as a contributor and be closely involved with the launch of AnimeChain, a blockchain network designed for and by anime fans that will act as the first step in redefining anime community engagement.

Prior to joining Azuki, Chung served as the Chief Global Officer for CJ ENM, one of the largest Korean mass media companies that has created hit K-dramas, television series, movies and musicals, also serving as the CEO of America to drive the “K-wave” expansion in North America. Chung also has extensive experience working in Hollywood, serving as the Chief Growth Officer for Fox and was responsible for incubating strategic projects and launching new products in direct-to-consumer streaming experiences. Starting his career at Goldman Sachs in New York, he previously served as Executive Producer of a prime-time talk show in China for the Shanghai Media Group and has experience taking a start-up from founding to a publicly-traded company in Silicon Valley.

Chung is recognized as one of the most influential media executives in the industry today and is currently a member of the Gold House A100 List, a list of the most impactful Asian Americans working in media and tech. Chung holds an MBA from Stanford University, with an undergraduate degree from Harvard where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.

About Azuki

Azuki is an anime brand revolutionizing the future of anime by developing decentralized IPs and enriching the fandom experience with innovative blockchain products. Founded at the intersection of art, technology, and culture, Azuki emphasizes co-creation with its community, ownership of collectibles, and aims to shape and expand anime culture to all corners of the world.

Contact:
Azuki@mgroupsc.com

 

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SOURCE Azuki

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RocketReach Launches RocketReach MCP, Giving AI Assistants Direct Access to 700M+ Verified Contacts

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New integration empowers sales, recruiting, and marketing teams to prospect within ChatGPT, Claude, and others using existing RocketReach data

NEW YORK, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RocketReach, the leading sales and lead intelligence platform trusted by more than 30 million users and 95% of the S&P 500, today announced the launch of the RocketReach MCP Server. This milestone gives AI assistants direct, real-time access to RocketReach’s database of 700 million verified contacts and 60 million companies via the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

The RocketReach MCP Server provides immediate compatibility with ChatGPT, Claude, and other MCP-enabled clients. The integration features a streamlined OAuth setup and allows users to perform lookups utilizing their current RocketReach credit balance without requiring additional billing or account creation.

“The best tools show up wherever people are already working. RocketReach MCP puts our entire contact database directly inside the AI assistants our customers use every day, no new tab, no new workflow, just a faster way to reach the right person. As AI transforms professional workflows, our strategy is to provide verified data exactly where teams are active. By integrating the world’s most accurate professional database directly into the AI assistants our customers rely on daily, we are removing friction and enhancing the speed of connection “

— Scott Kim, CEO, RocketReach

Optimizing Workflows Through Native AI Integration

The RocketReach MCP Server addresses the disconnect between AI assistants and the verified company data essential for sales teams. Users can ask a natural-language question such as ‘find me 20 VPs of Sales at Series B fintech companies in New York’ and get verified contact results directly inside their AI assistant, automatically saved to their RocketReach account.

The initial release of the RocketReach MCP Server includes seven core capabilities:

Comprehensive person search by title, location, and company, and moreAdvanced company filtering by industry, size, and funding stage, and moreVerified contact detail retrieval via profile identificationOn-demand access to detailed company profilesUnified calls for simultaneous person and company data lookupsReal-time account credit and usage monitoringServer connectivity and status verification

Verified by Default

Unlike single-vendor AI integrations from some competitors, RocketReach MCP is client-neutral by design — one server connects to every major AI platform. Every lookup runs through RocketReach’s real-time email verification, so AI assistants are working with data that’s accurate now, not a static cache. Connections run on OAuth 2.1, RocketReach never shares credentials with the AI client, and users can disconnect any individual AI client independently at any time from their RocketReach account settings.

“From day one, our focus was on building an MCP that customers could trust. Every lookup through RocketReach’s MCP server is verified in real time, using the same proprietary verification engine that powers our core platform.

— Jeremy Livingston, CTO, RocketReach

Market Availability

The RocketReach MCP Server is currently available to all RocketReach users. Search for RocketReach in ChatGPT Plugins, add RocketReach as a new custom Connector in Claude, or reference our detailed documentation and setup guides that can be found at knowledgebase.rocketreach.co.

About RocketReach

RocketReach is the leading sales and lead intelligence platform trusted by more than 30 million users and 95% of the S&P 500. Powered by proprietary technology, RocketReach provides access to over 700 million contacts and 60 million companies worldwide. Sales, recruiting, and marketing teams rely on RocketReach to connect directly with the right people and decision-makers. Learn more at www.rocketreach.co.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rocketreach-launches-rocketreach-mcp-giving-ai-assistants-direct-access-to-700m-verified-contacts-302832384.html

SOURCE RocketReach.co

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Hood River Tree Farm Carbon Project Issues Core Carbon Principles (CCP) Labeled Offsets

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PORTLAND, Ore., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Climate Trust (TCT), an Oregon-based nonprofit leader in carbon finance and project development, today announced the first issuance of carbon credits from the Hood River County Tree Farm project. The forest carbon project joins the initial cohort of projects to receive the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label from the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM). Carbon revenues will support the county’s complex multiple use forest management strategy that seeks to combine timber revenue generation for the county budget with world-class recreational opportunities and diverse wildlife habitat.

“Generating offset revenues gives us an incentive to store substantially more carbon when managing the forest for long-term benefits” explained Doug Thiesies, Hood River County’s Forestry Director. “We are excited to embark upon this new chapter with The Climate Trust.” The County plans to purchase additional forestland with carbon revenues and enroll it in the project.

Spanning over 32,000 acres of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine forest, most of which are over 65 years old, the project provides significant climate benefits by committing the county to sequestering and storing forest carbon over the project’s 40-year term. Registered under the ACR Improved Forest Management on Non-Federal U.S. Forestland Version 2.1 Methodology, the project was developed by TCT in partnership with the Hood River County Forestry Department.

In the Pacific Northwest’s highly productive forests and strong timber market, there is immense potential to store more carbon through extending timber rotations beyond typical practices. Landowners frequently harvest all their timber over 45 years old in the northwest. Carbon crediting is based on the County Tree Farm committing to extend the average rotation age up to 90-years, far exceeding average age class and structural diversity observed on nearby industrially managed forests. The project will employ a dynamic baseline that requires recalculating carbon credit impact every few years to ensure ongoing crediting accuracy.

County residents and the larger community will benefit from the carbon project being located on a publicly owned and managed forest. “Community forest carbon projects like the Hood River County Tree Farm benefit so many people,” said Julius Pasay, TCT’s Executive Director. “We are thrilled that this project is generating public revenue in addition to supporting recreational opportunities for the community.”

“In timber-dependent counties, counties look to timber harvest as a means to fund essential services,” elaborated Allison Williams, Hood River County’s Administrator. “The carbon project provides an incentive to manage the forest for public benefit and disincentivize increasing timber harvest to fund general operations.”

Open to the public, The Hood River County Tree Farm serves as an important area for recreation activities such as mountain biking, OHV and hiking. In addition to these recreational opportunities, the Tree Farm’s sustainable management supports and protects a vibrant ecosystem that many threatened species rely on including the Northern Spotted Owl, Bull Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, and Steelhead.

If you’re interested in supporting this project, click here to connect with our team.

About The Climate Trust
Founded in 1997, The Climate Trust (TCT) is a nonprofit project developer focused on utilizing carbon markets to scale climate mitigation outcomes. TCT believes that carbon emissions reductions and good land stewardship go hand in hand – a core belief that has driven the organization’s work for over 25 years. TCT seeks to promote healthy ecosystems and resilient communities by scaling nature-based solutions and mobilizing markets to solve ecological issues in three areas of carbon project development and financing: Reforestation/Afforestation, Grassland Conservation, and Improved Forest Management.

Julius Pasay, Executive Director – jpasay@climatetrust.org 

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SOURCE The Climate Trust

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DCI Strengthens Lobbying and Strategic Alliances Teams, Announces New Hires

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Two senior hires bring decades of experience to DCI

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bipartisan public affairs firm DCI Group announced the hiring of two seasoned professionals, Tim Dupin and Tim Martin, further strengthening the firm’s strategic alliances and government relations capabilities. Dupin brings decades of experience in labor relations, center-left coalition building, and stakeholder engagement to the firm’s strategic alliances team, while Martin joins DCI Senior Advisor Doug Davenport to expand DCI’s lobbying practice.

Tim Dupin joins DCI as a Director, where he will support coalition-building, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy efforts, with a particular focus on labor organizations and allied constituencies. He brings extensive experience in center-left strategic alliances, grassroots advocacy, third-party engagement, and labor relations.

“Tim Dupin has built an impressive career bringing together organizations, advocates, and stakeholders to advance meaningful policy priorities,” said Managing Partner Brian McCabe. “As a bipartisan firm, his deep relationships within the labor community and extensive experience leading center-left coalition and grassroots efforts will strengthen DCI’s strategic alliances team and create even greater opportunities for our clients to build broad-based support for their initiatives.”

Prior to joining DCI, Dupin served as Director of Political Action at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), where he managed national political and legislative campaigns. Dupin previously served as a firefighter and labor leader in Kansas City, Missouri, including as President of the Greater Kansas City Fire Fighters IAFF Local 42, and retired as a Fire Captain. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies from the National Labor College and attended the Harvard Trade Union Program at Harvard Law School.

“DCI was built on growing and maintaining relationships, and I’m thrilled to support the strategic alliances team,” Dupin said. “I’m impressed with the character of the people who work at DCI, their commitment to their clients, and their singular focus on execution. I’m excited to be part of the team.”

Meanwhile, Tim Martin joins DCI as a Senior Vice President, where he will help expand the firm’s government relations and lobbying practice. Working alongside DCI Senior Advisor Doug Davenport, he brings deep experience in transportation, energy, and regulatory policy.

“Tim Martin brings exactly the kind of experience clients need as they navigate an increasingly complex legislative and regulatory environment,” said DCI Managing Partner Justin Peterson. “His background advising on transportation, energy, and public policy, combined with years of experience on Capitol Hill and in private practice, will be instrumental as we continue to grow our government relations and lobbying capabilities.”

Prior to joining DCI, Martin served as Vice President at Invariant, where he advised clients on legislative and regulatory strategy and led the firm’s transportation and infrastructure practice group. He previously served as Public Policy Counsel at WilmerHale, legislative director for Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL), and general counsel to Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO). Tim received a Juris Doctor from New York Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is originally from Summit, New Jersey.

“I’m excited to help grow DCI’s lobbying practice,” Martin said. “For years, DCI has been known for having the best public affairs operation in the business. Adding lobbying services will only enhance the firm’s effectiveness for our clients, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dci-strengthens-lobbying-and-strategic-alliances-teams-announces-new-hires-302832391.html

SOURCE DCI GROUP AZ, L.L.C.

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