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Impel Strengthens C-Suite, Adding Veteran Auto Tech Execs as CTO and CPO, and Creating 3 New Executive Positions Amid Aggressive Global Expansion

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“Impel is at the forefront of the AI revolution, and these leadership additions will enable us to deliver a single, unified AI platform and solidify our position as the de facto standard for enterprise-grade automotive AI around the world,” said Impel CEO and Co-founder Devin Daly.

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Impel, the global leader in AI Sales and Marketing automation for the automotive industry, announced today a number of executive leadership hires and new positions aimed at enhancing enterprise scale and positioning the company for continued long-term expansion. This announcement comes at a time of significant growth for Impel and follows the company’s recently announced acquisition of Outsell, a leading automotive customer engagement platform, in a deal valued at more than $100 million.

“Impel is at the forefront of the AI revolution, and these leadership additions and changes will enable us to deliver a single, unified AI platform and solidify our position as the de facto standard for enterprise grade Automotive AI around the world.”

Eric Portman joins the Company as Chief Technology Officer. An experienced enterprise technologist and engineering leader, Portman has over three decades of experience in designing and delivering mission critical solutions across various industries. Prior to joining Impel, Portman served as Senior Vice President of Product and Engineering at Cox Automotive, where he led a team of more than 1,200 product and engineering professionals around the globe. At Cox, he spearheaded product and technology innovation, including the technical integration of acquired products. Additionally, Portman led the development of proprietary data and machine learning-powered applications, process automation, and customer solutions to drive significant revenue growth and operational efficiencies. Earlier in his career, Portman was Partner and Managing Director in the Technology practice at Accenture, where he delivered technology-powered change programs for clients like Disney, the National Football League, and BellSouth (subsequently acquired by AT&T, Inc.).

“As the category creator and industry standard for enterprise grade Automotive AI, Impel is uniquely positioned to bring cutting-edge AI-enabled process and technology automation to OEMs, dealers, marketplaces, and technology providers alike,” said Portman. “In today’s global economy, helping the industry to effectively adopt and implement purpose-built AI solutions at scale is a strategic imperative to ensure sustained operational performance and profitability. I’m delighted to be a part of this organization, and I can’t wait to contribute to Impel’s vision of a unified AI platform that powers all channels and touchpoints throughout the automotive retail ecosystem.”

Matthew Muilenburg joins Impel as Chief Product Officer. A seasoned technology and product development executive, Muilenburg previously served as Chief Market Development Officer at Marchex, a leading AI-powered conversational intelligence provider. There, he led the unification of the company’s solutions into a verticalized technology platform, leading to significant business growth across multiple sectors. As Senior Vice President and Head of Industry for Automotive at Marchex, Muilenburg established industry dominance in conversational intelligence by delivering verticalized OEM solutions and landing key enterprise clients including General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, and Honda Motors of America. Prior to that, Muilenburg served as Vice President of Global OEM Solutions at CDK, where he led global market expansion as well as product strategy and platform integration of numerous acquisitions. Earlier in his career, Muilenberg held roles as Vice President of Social Media Products at ADP and Vice President of Product Solutions at Cobalt Group.

“Impel has an established track record of success in enabling automotive manufacturers and retailers to deliver consistently exceptional experiences across the customer journey, while enhancing operational efficiency and profitability,” said Muilenburg. “As we bring to market the auto industry’s first end-to-end AI Sales and Marketing Automation platform, the opportunities for growth are limitless. I look forward to working with the team to deliver AI and technology innovations that drive unprecedented levels of success for automotive enterprises around the world.”

John Clavadetscher, formerly President of Outsell, has been named Impel’s Chief Commercial Officer. A veteran automotive industry leader, Clavadetscher brings more than 25 years of experience successfully scaling high-growth software and digital companies. At Outsell, Clavadetscher was instrumental in dramatically increasing revenue, bookings, and retention, which led to the acquisition by Impel. Prior to Outsell, Clavadetscher was on the founding team and served as President of Cooler Screens Inc., the largest in-store digital retail media platform in the US. Previously, Clavadetscher was on the founding team and subsequently spent 20 years at Cars Commerce (NYSE: CARS), a leading automotive technology company that includes Cars.com, Dealer Inspire, and AccuTrade. While there, he scaled the company’s go-to-market operations, accelerating revenue and retention in various leadership roles. He was serving as Chief Revenue Officer, leading the commercial and operations functions, when the company went public in 2017.

Steve Saporta, formerly Chief Technology Officer, has been named Impel’s Chief Information Security Officer. This new role reflects the critical importance of global data security and privacy. Data breaches and cyberattacks are a pressing concern worldwide, with the average cost of a breach reaching $4.88 million in 2024 (the highest yearly jump since the pandemic), according to IBM’s Data Breach Report. The business and reputational risks of cyber incidents are higher than ever, and the need for trusted partner policies and systems is paramount. In his new role, Saporta will spearhead Impel’s continued development and delivery of world-class global information security, privacy, and data protection policies, protocols, processes, and systems. Additionally, he will oversee the continued availability and reliability of the Company’s SaaS (Software as a Service) and AI solutions, ensuring optimal performance for the automotive retailers and OEMs who depend on Impel technology to support core business operations.

Andrew Lumsden, formerly Chief Product Officer, has been appointed to the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Platform Services. As Impel continues to make significant inroads with automotive OEMs, marketplaces, and enterprise groups around the world, the ability to deliver customized enterprise applications and globally scalable platforms has become critical to company growth. To meet these needs, Lumsden will lead the development of shared services and applications, as well as expanding the company’s ecosystem of technical integrations and client engineering capabilities across the globe. Additionally, Lumsden will spearhead the development of enterprise-level product testing and experimentation processes, enabling greater data utilization and application across the company.

“The adoption of AI in automotive is accelerating at a breakneck pace across all geographies and sectors of the industry. Vertical AI models and applications are becoming indispensable to automotive retailers, marketplaces, and OEMs around the world as the foundational engine that unlocks additional value from existing data and operational systems,” said Devin Daly, CEO and Co-Founder of Impel. “Our recent acquisition of Outsell creates a powerhouse of more than 170 Engineering, R&D, and Product Development specialists focused on creating unparalleled AI solutions and seamlessly integrated products – and we’ll continue to scale the organization to drive global growth. Impel is at the forefront of the AI revolution, and these leadership additions will enable us to deliver a single, unified AI platform and solidify our position as the de facto standard for enterprise grade Automotive AI around the world. I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Eric and Matt to the team, and to see John, Steve and Andrew take on critical new roles where they’ll continue to make meaningful impact on our business. Onward!”

About Impel

Impel offers automotive dealers, OEMs, and third-party marketplaces the industry’s most advanced AI-powered customer lifecycle platform. The company’s end-to-end omnichannel solution leverages proprietary shopper behavioral data and generative conversational AI technology to deliver hyper-personalized experiences at every touchpoint. Impel’s fully integrated platform works seamlessly with all major website, CRM, and DMS platforms. To date, the company has delivered 22 billion shopper interactions, influencing $6 billion in Sales and Service revenue across 51 countries. To learn more about Impel, visit impel.ai.

Media Contact

Alexis Cardona, Impel, 1 844-384-6735, alexis@impel.ai, https://impel.ai

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SOURCE Impel

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State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company Ensures Power Supply for May Day Tourism

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April 29, 2026

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JINCHANG, China, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the May Day International Labor Day approaches, State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company has fully launched special power supply guarantee work in key cultural and tourism areas, closely integrating local characteristics such as Gobi ecology, Silk Road culture and suburban comprehensive cultural tourism formats, to fully protect the safety of cultural and tourism travel during the holiday.

Focusing on the actual needs of pre-holiday cultural and tourism travel, the special inspection takes into account the differences in power consumption of diverse scenarios including Silk Road sightseeing, Gobi leisure and research experience, and strictly implements standardized power operation and maintenance processes. The service team divides areas to clarify responsibilities, focusing on inspecting key locations such as crowded scenic spots, convenient service stations and intangible cultural heritage performance venues, and checks the operation of core equipment such as power distribution boxes, low-voltage lines and emergency backup power supplies one by one. Considering Jinchang’s regional climate characteristics of frequent sandstorms and large temperature differences between day and night, it focuses on verifying the integrity of outdoor line insulation protection and wind, dust and lightning protection devices, and simultaneously investigates potential hazards such as old lines and temporary power use, ensuring immediate rectification and full coverage without blind spots.

In response to the upsurge of suburban self-driving camping and short-distance trips during the holiday, the company focuses on upgrading and verifying public new energy charging piles along scenic routes and suburban main roads. Staff inspect each charging pile’s main module, intelligent metering terminal, safe grounding circuit and outdoor waterproof and dustproof components, conduct on-site practical tests on core charging performance such as emergency power-off self-locking and peak-valley load adaptation, and simultaneously clean up debris around the piles, maintain lines and check peripheral hazards such as aging and loose interfaces. It also specially verifies the continuous operation capacity under high passenger flow and high intensity, ensuring uninterrupted 24-hour charging services, solidifying the reliable power guarantee for cultural and tourism travel, and helping the upgrading of suburban cultural and tourism formats.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/state-grid-jinchang-power-supply-company-ensures-power-supply-for-may-day-tourism-302756694.html

SOURCE State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company

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Power Guarantee Accelerates Commissioning of Jinchang’s 200,000-Ton Dairy Processing Project

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April 29, 2026

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JINCHANG, China, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 22, State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company worked with relevant personnel of the 200,000-ton annual dairy processing project in Jinchuan District, Jinchang City, to carefully verify key power support matters before the project is put into operation.

Since the planning of the project, State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company has taken the initiative to provide front-line services and launched a dedicated service program for key projects. A special service team was established to finish on-site investigation within three days and design a tailor-made power supply plan.

The company opened a green channel for power application and installation services, shortening the conventional 45-day service process to 18 days, strongly boosting the early start of the project.

In the construction period, the company’s Party member service team offered regular on-site technical guidance, investigated and rectified over ten hidden dangers in construction power consumption, and organized special training for electricians, building a solid line of defense for power safety.

Entering the critical commissioning phase in April, the company carried out an all-round inspection of power equipment in the factory, formulated a targeted power guarantee plan for equipment commissioning, and implemented a 24-hour duty system to remove power supply obstacles for equipment debugging.

“The power supply team always thinks ahead and delivers practical support, solving all our power consumption problems,” the project leader commented positively.

In the next stage, State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company will continue to track the follow-up power demand of the project. Through high-quality and stable power supply, it will help upgrade the quality and efficiency of Jinchang’s agriculture, forage and animal husbandry industrial chain, and inject sustained impetus into high-quality local development.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/power-guarantee-accelerates-commissioning-of-jinchangs-200-000-ton-dairy-processing-project-302756716.html

SOURCE State Grid Jinchang Power Supply Company

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Seven Extreme Tests, Full‑Scenario Ecosystem: Sungrow Redefines C&I ESS Reliability at GRES

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April 29, 2026

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HEFEI, China, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the 2026 Global Renewable Energy Summit, Sungrow unveiled its full-scenario commercial and industrial (C&I) ecosystem, centered around the newly launched PowerKeeper series—a modular C&I energy storage system that achieves 0 waste in both investment and green power utilization, ensures 0 outage for C&I electricity consumption, and delivers a hassle-free experience through 7 upgrades (7Ups) across the entire lifecycle, ultimately maximizing returns for customers.

As an industry breakthrough, PowerKeeper is the first modular C&I ESS to successfully pass seven extreme challenge tests. This milestone embodies Sungrow’s “007” value proposition—redefining reliability standards for C&I energy storage.

Seven Extreme Challenges: Making Safety Invisible, Yet Fundamental

Energy storage systems are built for a 20+ year lifecycle, during which exposure to extreme weather, physical impacts, and unexpected incidents is inevitable. True reliability lies in proactively validating performance under the harshest conditions.

PowerKeeper inherits Sungrow’s comprehensive full-lifecycle safety system. With over 700 pre‑delivery tests, every unit is engineered for durability and resilience. The seven extreme tests cover the entire lifecycle and a wide range of real-world scenarios, structured across three critical dimensions:

Environmental Resilience: Reliable Performance in Harsh Natural ConditionsMaintains stable operation after 24-hour immersion in 50 cm of waterDelivers full power without derating across temperatures from -20°C to 40°CStructural Integrity: No Fire or Explosion, Even When Knocked or DroppedEndures a 250 kg pendulum impact with only minor surface damage, no structural compromise, and no abnormal temperature riseWithstands repeated drops from heights ranging from 1.6 m to 5 m, maintaining structural integrity and thermal stabilityIntrinsic Safety: No Fire spread, No Explosion Splash, Even in Worst-Case ScenariosAn integrated aerosol fire suppression system rapidly suppresses internal ignitionAfter removing internal suppression, flames self-extinguish without spreadingSystem-level active venting design in PV+ESS configurations prevents debris projection, safeguarding both personnel and equipment

From Pre- to Post-Commissioning: Flexible, Simple, Profitable

Pre-commissioning:
PowerKeeper offers exceptional flexibility from the outset, with configurable capacities ranging from 50 kWh to 1,000 kWh and durations spanning 2 to 8 hours. It can be deployed as ESS-ready, PV+ESS, or PV-ready, enabling businesses to align system configuration with their investment pace and evolving energy strategies.At commissioning:
Installation is streamlined through both modular hardware design and intelligent digital tools. On the hardware side, the industry-first configuration of 12.5 kWh single modules or 50 kWh pre-built stacks significantly reduces installation complexity and labor costs. In contrast, seamless back-to-back installation supports four flexible layouts, making it ideal for space-constrained environments.
On the software side, iSolarDesign enables rapid and intelligent system planning within just 10 minutes—while iSolarCloud simplifies grid connection to a three-step process that can be completed in five minutes. A unified platform with a 24/7 AI assistant further enhances operational efficiency by pinpointing faulty modules at the source, enabling faster and more precise O&M.Post-commissioning:
Once operational, PowerKeeper continues to maximize value through both performance and intelligent optimization. A 2.0 DC/AC ratio delivers up to 1.5 times higher power output, while 10 ms seamless switching ensures reliable off-grid operation when needed. In addition, AI-driven multi-revenue strategies—including peak shaving, demand charge management, and frequency response—work in tandem with integrated hardware and software to continuously enhance overall returns.

Full-Scenario Eco-Synergy: Sungrow C&I ESS Family

PowerKeeper, together with the PowerStack 255/510CS and PowerTitan series, forms Sungrow’s comprehensive C&I ESS portfolio. The solution supports a wide range of applications—from standalone ESS and PV+ESS to PV+ESS+EV charging and microgrids—covering voltage levels from 400 V to 35 kV. PowerKeeper is now available across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.

Dr. Cao Wei, GM of Sungrow’s C&I ESS Product Line, stated: “We build a full-scenario C&I ESS ecosystem because every application deserves a tailored solution. The seven extreme tests reflect our unwavering commitment to one core belief: safety is the greatest luxury.”

Sungrow remains committed to empowering industries worldwide with reliable, high-performance C&I energy storage solutions—working together to accelerate the transition toward a sustainable future.

About Sungrow

Sungrow, a global leader in renewable energy technology, has pioneered sustainable power solutions for over 29 years. As of Dec 2025, Sungrow has installed over 1000 GW of power electronic converters worldwide. The company is recognized as the world’s most bankable PV inverter and energy storage company (BloombergNEF). Its innovations power clean energy projects across the globe, supported by a network of 520 service outlets guaranteeing excellent customer experiences. At Sungrow, we’re committed to bridging to a sustainable future through cutting-edge technology and unparalleled service. For more information, please visit: www.sungrowpower.com/en

 

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SOURCE Sungrow

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