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URC and the Custom Installation Industry Celebrate A Decade of Unsurpassed Awards

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Celebrating Excellence in Unique Residential and Commercial Automation at CEDIA 2024

HARRISON, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — URC, a global leader in smart home automation and control for residential and commercial applications, announced today, from CEDIA, the winners of its 10th annual Unsurpassed Awards.

“With URC’s superior products and systems, our dealers continue to surprise and delight us with creative installations in diverse environments,” said Mr. Chang K. Park, URC’s Founder and CEO.

Launched in 2015, URC’s Unsurpassed Awards celebrate excellence and creativity in residential and commercial automation installations. Entries are accepted from domestic URC dealers and international distributors. Categories for consideration include: Best Residential, Best Commercial, Most Unique, and Best International.

Entries for the 2024 competition showcase unique smart residential and commercial installations featuring creative system design, innovative product use cases, distinctive environments, and advanced implementations. Entries include inspiring environments and large installations with URC’s Total Control® controlling hundreds of smart home and commercial devices.

Home and business owners rave about the benefits of these breakthrough automated systems. “This system has let us to be more productive on a daily basis by being able to quickly and easily setup and adjust based on our needs,” stated a commercial customer. He continued, “being able to quickly go from testing of a system to monitoring an account for service and back has been extremely helpful.”

“With URC’s superior products and systems, our dealers continue to surprise and delight us with creative installations in diverse environments,” said Mr. Chang K. Park, URC’s Founder and CEO. “URC’s ability to deliver reliable products, on-time and on-budget, has helped replace systems from other control brands with our Total Control system. Our dealers are growing their businesses, impressing clients, and inspiring new products and integrations.”

This year’s entries include prior winners, like JL Entertainment Designs, Hemag Inc., Automation Sensations, Nard’s Entertainment, Audio Wizard, Certified Sounds LLC, AAA Electronic Services, and Allstar Systems who consistently excel, as well as dealers new to the competition like BenchMark AV. The categories were so competitive, it challenged our ability to select winners.

For only the second time, a Chairman’s Award of Excellence has been awarded for consistent, extensive superior performance in residential and commercial installations.

Winners of the 2024 URC Unsurpassed Awards include the following URC dealers:

JL Entertainment Designs Wins The Chairman’s Award

JL Entertainment Designs (Exton, PA) https://www.jlentertainmentdesigns.com/

With multiple Unsurpassed Awards, JL Entertainment Designs, owned by Joe and Michelle Lusi, have consistently impressed with unique automation system designs. Their installations span diverse residential and commercial environments and showcase unique applications of URC’s Total Control technology. This year, JL Entertainment Designs shared 3 installations that included an automated office space with advanced network/Wi-Fi, window shades, landscape lighting, and entertainment systems. This installation unified a conference room, 2 lounges, 2 offices, and an outdoor space into a single system with one touch or voice control. Another client offered a unique challenge in integrating and automating a large resort on the New Jersey shore. This installation created a single automation system that features 5-zone high-definition audio across all of the resort’s common areas like the lobby, drive-up area, outdoor dining area, pool area, restaurant, and rooftop deck. The entire system is easily controlled by URC’s mobile app and touch screens. Finally, JL Entertainment Designs created a whole home system in a waterfront community that included network/Wi-Fi, window drapery, landscape lighting, and 7 TVs, plus an outdoor TV lift. Every item installed is controlled with URC’s Total Control system. For this diversity of design and uncompromising installation success, we are pleased to award the Chairman’s Award to JL Entertainment Designs.

Audio Wizard AV Wins Gold for The Best Residential Installation – USA

Audio Wizard AV (Draper, UT) https://www.audiowizardav.com/

As a power brand in the Rockies, Audio Wizard AV created a comprehensive automation system in a stunning mountain estate. With highly customized user interface displays, Dustin Reese and his team, created a fully integrated system that is simple and intuitive. In addition to the open concept family spaces, this mountain retreat features a two-story, full-sized basketball court that doubles as a pickleball court. High-definition audio is pumped throughout the interior of the home via URC’s HDA-8100 and HDA-4100 amps, including the sports court, and integrated via Total Control in all of the meticulously manicured outdoor spaces. Audio Wizard AV’s incredible design IQ is as compelling as it’s social media presence, so check out Dustin and his team in action. Congratulations to Audio Wizard AV for this powerful system perfectly matched with the dynamic mountain views.

Nard’s Entertainment Wins Best Commercial Installation – USA

Nard’s Entertainment (Washington D.C. Metro) https://www.nardsentertainment.com/

Over the years, John Carroll and the team at Nard’s Entertainment has delivered some incredible commercial installations. In this year’s competition, John partnered with Carr Properties for another urban oasis installation. Rising out of the Bullfinch Crossing section

of downtown Boston, One Congress is a one-million-square-foot, trophy office tower offering

transformative experiences. This property continues our tour of architecturally stunning properties created by Carr, headquartered in Washington, DC. Offering extensive retail, vibrant net-zero pedestrian spaces, and towering 600 feet tall, this iconic building reconnects downtown Boston neighborhoods and propels a heavily transit-served site into a 21st-century global center. Totaling 43 stories, One Congress features breathtaking and unparalleled 360-degree views of The Charles River, Boston Harbor, North End, Financial District, and Back Bay. With numerous subsystems and countless staff and consumer interactions, Carroll knew that a single, unified, simple-to-operate control system was needed. With thoughtful design, Carroll leveraged URC’s Total Control® to seamlessly blend control and automation across both interior and exterior environments. This system featured most of the key players from URC’s portfolio including intuitive user interfaces, system controllers and High-Definition Audio (HDA) which plays a critical role across amenities and conference environments. With style and functionality critical, Carroll used several URC MRX-30 system controllers and 20 URC touch screens and handheld remotes including the TDC-9100, with its 10-inch touch screen and the TKP-8600 featuring an 8-inch in-wall touch screen and industry-leading voice control. For this massive integration and consistently delivering for clients, we congratulate Nard’s Entertainment for another Gold Unsurpassed Award.

Automation Sensation Wins Most Unique Installation – USA

Automation Sensation (Pompano Beach, FL) https://automationsensation.net/

Neil Lorick and the team at Automation Sensation is a returning champion with another incredible, design-forward entry from South Florida. This 8,000 square foot luxury residence in Miami includes 9 bedrooms, a gym, staff room, home theater room, 2 master bedrooms, and a water front space to accommodate a 120 ft yacht. Lorick and team used URC’s Total Control to integrate several subsystems and devices including 40 Lutron lighting RA3 dimmers, 10 Lutron KP and controlling the pool system. With entertainment a priority, this installation featured URC’s HDA (High-Definition Audio) for incredible audio distribution and integration with Lutron lights and shades to set a dramatic stage for epic entertainment. Additionally, several streaming sources and devices were integrated to deliver studio-quality sound throughout the home including blending seamlessly the indoor and outdoor spaces. The system, controlled by URC’s Total Control, blends a variety of sub-systems prompted the homeowner to state that “this automation system is defiantly sensational.” Congratulations to Neil and his team for unsurpassed design and automation!

IDES Wins Best International Installation

IDES (Edinburgh, Scotland) https://www.ides.co.uk/

Via AWE, https://www.awe-europe.com/, URC’s European Distributor, comes another truly immersive experience from IDES. With over 30 years of experience designing incredible environments, IDES continues to surprise and delight with highly customized home and business automation systems. Stephen Kerr and his team were hired by a homeowner to a structure built in the 1800s and demolished. This full renovation, envisioned by the homeowners, included an inspiring automation system in sharp contrast to the home’s origins. While retaining the home’s original character, Stephen and team carefully crafted a system behind the scenes but front and center in the modern lifestyle of the owners. With extensive integrations, a URC Total Control system provided control and automation over all the various electronic systems and throughout all of the subsystems including KNX lighting and heating, Blusound audio streaming, video matrix by Blustream, SKY Q, Roku, NAD amplification, Bowers & Wilkins speakers, Sony TVs, Doorbird entry phone, and HIK CCTV. The homeowner boasted, “The design showed us functions and capabilities we would never have thought of but have now become “must haves” for the family’s daily living. We loved how the latest 21st century technology has been integrated so sensitively into a 19th century house (l know this has not been a simple task). IDES flexibility and “can do” attitude to work around those constraints and deliver working technology from day one was incredible.”

The complete list of award-winning installations includes:

Chairman’s Award Of Excellence – JL Entertainment Designs (PA)

Best Residential Installation – USA – Gold: Audio Wizard AV (UT), Silver: Hemag, Inc (FL), Bronze: Certified Sounds LLC (HI)

Best Commercial Installation – USA – Gold: Nard’s Entertainment (VA), Silver: Allstar Systems (NY), Bronze: AAA Electronic Services (NY)

Most Unique Installation – USA – Gold: Automation Sensations (FL), Silver: Allstar Systems (NY), Bronze: Audio Wizard AV (UT)

Best International Installation – Gold: IDES (UK), Silver: BenchMark AV (CA)

Winners receive awards and publicity ranging from physical, crystal awards to digital/social campaigns and badges to feature in press releases and publications.

About URC

Headquartered in Harrison NY USA, URC is a global leader in smart home automation and control solutions. URC technology is respected for unsurpassed performance and reliability with over 100 million remote controls sold in the past 10 years alone. URC control systems include Total ControlÒ and Complete ControlÒ. Innovative URC user interfaces include tabletop controllers, in-wall touch screens, handheld remotes, keypads, and mobile apps – plus voice control integration with Comcast Xfinity, Apple TV, and Amazon Alexa. URC systems are custom designed, installed and maintained by a network of URC trained systems integration professionals. Its award-winning technical support and training make URC the best choice for home automation.

For more information visit www.urc-automation.com. URC, Think beyond everyday.

Media Contact

Ron Pence, URC Automation, 1 9147054136, rpence@urc-automation.com, www.urc-automation.com

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SOURCE URC Automation

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Hexaware Hosts Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire Mayoral Delegation, Deepens Partnership with University of Leeds

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Part of the Great North Mayoral Delegation’s visit to India, discussions focused on Hexaware’s UK expansion and planned R&D centers in Leeds and Manchester

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hexaware Technologies (NSE: HEXT), an AI-first digital and IT services company, hosted a delegation led by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, and Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, as part of The Great North’s first joint mayoral-led trade mission to India

Hexaware met with Tracy Brabin and delegates from West Yorkshire at its Mumbai office to discuss the company’s UK investment plans, regional employment, and opportunities for technology collaboration across the North of England.

During the visit, Hexaware and the University of Leeds discussed their agreement to strengthen industry–academic collaboration through research, knowledge sharing, and experiential learning opportunities for students.

Earlier in the mission, on October 14 in Bengaluru, Hexaware leaders met Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, together with representatives of the British Deputy High Commission and the Invest Manchester team, to discuss Hexaware’s investment in the city region.

Hexaware announced that it will create hundreds of jobs and invest £9 million in a new Design and Innovation Centre at Manchester’s innovation district, SISTER, delivered in collaboration with the University of Manchester. By establishing a base at SISTER, Hexaware will have access to Europe’s largest clinical academic campus on Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor and a rapidly expanding digital and tech ecosystem within the city.

The visits follow Hexaware’s June 2026 announcement of a £25 million UK expansion, expected to create approximately 1,200 jobs over three to five years across Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham, including 420 in Manchester and 240 in Leeds. Plans include proposed R&D centers in Manchester and Leeds, with Newcastle also under consideration as a potential future location, given the region’s strong university talent pool and proximity to Scotland.

Parameshwaran Iyer, Executive Vice President & Head – Europe, Hexaware, said, “The North of England is an important part of our UK growth plans. Our investment goes into developing technology capabilities and recruiting graduates from the region’s universities, training them to work with enterprise and public-sector customers. Our new agreement with the University of Leeds will strengthen this pipeline, giving us closer access to graduate talent as we grow our presence in the region. We see considerable potential in the talent and expertise available across these cities.”

Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said, “Greater Manchester has established strengths in healthcare, life sciences, and AI, supported by close cooperation between universities, researchers, and industry. We welcome Hexaware’s plans for Manchester and the opportunities they present for investment, innovation, and employment in these sectors.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said, “It was great to visit Hexaware’s headquarters in Mumbai and hear first-hand about the company’s ambitious plans for growth in the UK. Their investment in Leeds and the creation of hundreds of new jobs is fantastic news for West Yorkshire and a strong vote of confidence in our region. Trade missions like this give us the opportunity to meet decision-makers directly, strengthen international relationships and explore how businesses like Hexaware can deepen their links with West Yorkshire to create a stronger, better-off region that works for all.” 

Glenn McCauley, Head of Proposition Development at the University of Leeds, said, “We were delighted to join this Great North Mayoral Delegation to India and to discuss with Hexaware leadership and with the Mayor of West Yorkshire how the University of Leeds’ agreement with Hexaware can be a catalyst to drive economic growth in our region.”

India and the North of England are connected above all through people, with more than 81,000 people of Indian heritage living in Yorkshire and the Humber, and 50,000 people of Indian diaspora in Greater Manchester. Thousands of Indian students also choose universities in the two regions every year. Increasingly, Indian companies are also among the region’s investors and employers. The India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), in force since July 2026, alongside The Great North’s investment initiatives, gives that relationship fresh momentum.

Hexaware will continue discussions with regional partners on its proposed R&D facilities, graduate recruitment, and technology partnerships across the North of England, drawing on Leeds’ strengths in digital engineering, data science, robotics, fintech, and technology-enabled care, and Manchester’s strengths in healthcare, life sciences, cyber, and AI.

About Hexaware

Hexaware is a global technology and business process services company. Every day, Hexawarians wake up with a singular purpose: to create smiles through great people and technology. With offices across the world, we empower enterprises worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed by partnering with them to build, transform, run, and optimize their technology and business processes. Learn more about Hexaware at https://hexaware.com.

 

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Fosun Wealth Opens Its First Private Wealth Center in Hong Kong at Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui

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Appointment-Only Center for High-Net-Worth Clients, Partnering with Fosun Wealth IFA to Expand Wealth Management Capabilities

HONG KONG, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited (“Fosun Wealth”) announced the official opening of its first Private Wealth Center on the 23rd floor of Prudential Tower, at The Gateway, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. The center provides a dedicated offline space for meetings and wealth planning in Hong Kong, exclusively tailored for high-net-worth clients. Visits are by appointment only, and the center operates in partnership with Fosun Wealth IFA (Independent Financial Advisor), supporting clients from initial discussions and tailored proposals through to signing and implementation.

The opening ceremony, themed “A Starry New Chapter on Victoria Harbour”, brought together business partners from fund, asset management and insurance industries in Hong Kong to celebrate the occasion.

Expanding amid Industry Growth to Address Clients’ Demand for Long-Term Advice

The opening comes as Hong Kong’s wealth management sector continues to expand. According to the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, as of the end of 2025, total assets under management (AUM) in Hong Kong jumped 20% year-on-year (YoY) to a record high of HK$42.2 trillion. Among the major segments, AUM of private banking and private wealth management business increased by an impressive 24% YoY to HK$12.9 trillion. At the same time, client expectations have shifted. High-net-worth individuals are increasingly looking beyond fragmented, one-off product recommendations and seeking professional institutions that can deliver cross-market and multi-generational support over the long term.

The center’s location in Harbour City offers views across Victoria Harbour and a calm, private setting. It features four dedicated meeting rooms, with each client received by a relationship manager throughout their visit to allow for in-depth discussions in a confidential environment. In addition to client meetings and document signing, the center will also host smaller, focused sessions to help clients better capture opportunities in Hong Kong’s wealth management market.

Strengthening Collaboration with Fosun Wealth IFA to Enrich Service Matrix

The Private Wealth Center will also serve as a working base for Fosun Wealth IFA, supporting professional discussions and the review of more complex cases. Launched by Fosun Wealth in 2025, Fosun Wealth IFA is Hong Kong’s first one-stop platform for independent financial advisors (IFAs) to establish and grow their practices. It has already built a team of nearly 500 advisors. Built on a compliant licensing framework, the platform integrates diversified financial products, AI-powered tools and structured trainings, supporting advisors from licensing through ongoing professional development to independent practice. The goal is to help raise standards and professionalism across Hong Kong IFA industry.

Fosun Wealth subsidiaries hold securities and insurance brokerage licenses. Under strict compliance, they provide access to insurance, securities, asset management, and corporate financing services. Fosun Wealth has also established partnerships with numerous leading fund houses, asset managers, and insurers, supporting both the Private Wealth Center and the IFA platform.

Cheng Kang, CEO of Fosun Wealth, said: “Hong Kong continues to strengthen its position as an international hub for asset and wealth management, supported by its resilience and openness. This creates a valuable opportunity for us to deepen our presence in the local market. The opening of the Private Wealth Center is more than the launch of a new location—it marks a new chapter in Fosun Wealth’s commitment to serving high-net-worth clients in Hong Kong with a more personal, long-term approach, bringing our ‘warm private wealth stewardship’ to a broader client base. Whether we are serving high-net-worth clients or building a stronger ecosystem for financial advisers, we aim to set a high standard in Hong Kong’s wealth management industry. We will focus on turning our capabilities into lasting value for clients, and work with clients and partners to support the continued growth of the sector.”

About Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited

Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as “Fosun Wealth”) is an AI-driven global one-stop Web5(Web2+Web3) wealth management platform wholly owned by Fosun International Limited (stock code: 656.HK) in Hong Kong. With its solid financial position, Fosun Wealth has obtained various licenses via its subsidiaries, including Type 1, 2, 4, 6, and 9 licenses granted by the Securities and Futures Commission(SFC) of Hong Kong, and an insurance broker license granted by the Insurance Authority(IA) of Hong Kong. Fosun International Securities Limited, a subsidiary of Fosun Wealth, is one of the first batch of brokerages to provide virtual asset dealing service. Fosun Wealth has launched several industry-leading brands, including the Fosun Wealth App, Finloop, FinChain, and Fosun Wealth IFA. For more information, please visit: www.fosunwealth.com.

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SOURCE Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited

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WOLFX Student Super App Reaches 104 Universities One Month After US Launch

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All-in-one college platform reports 300 percent subscription growth following Arizona campaign 

MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — WOLFX, an all-in-one app designed to help college students thrive academically, socially and financially, has been downloaded by students at 104 universities in 130 cities across the US just one month after its launch in Indiana.

The platform recorded a 300 percent increase in subscriptions following its Rush WOLFX campaign in Arizona. Rush WOLFX is a game of skill that involves college fraternities and sororities putting their business skills to the test to win a $10K prize. 

WOLFX plans to hold six additional Rush competitions at Universities across the country next month.

WOLFX brings together AI-powered study tools, wellness support, a student marketplace and opportunities for student entrepreneurs in a single app, giving students who juggle academic, social and financial pressures one place to manage college life.

“I developed WOLFX to make the lives of college kids better. To see the app being so well received across America gives everyone involved a huge boost,” said Simon Bishop, founder of WOLFX. “As a father, I know college can be a daunting time for students and parents. WOLFX is aimed at easing those fears of loneliness and isolation. I’m so happy WOLFX is making a difference.”

Students say the app is already part of their daily routine.

“This is honestly the only college app you’ll ever need,” said Katie Wolf, a cheerleader at Indiana University. “Whether it’s managing my schedule, working on a business idea or even selling some items on the student marketplace, WOLFX has me covered. This app is a game changer for college students.”

WOLFX Platinum is available for $28.99 per month. WOLFX can be downloaded on iOS and Android.

About WOLFX

WOLFX is a student-focused super app designed to help college students navigate campus life through AI-powered study tools, wellness support, a student marketplace and entrepreneurial opportunities. The platform aims to make college life more connected, manageable and rewarding. WOLFX is available on iOS and Android. Learn more at https://wolfxapp.com/.

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SOURCE WOLFX

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