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UNIFIED COMMERCE GROUP CLOSES MAJORITY INVESTMENT IN UTAH-BASED RETAILER BӦHME

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SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Unified Commerce Group (UCG) announced the closing of their investment in Utah-based womenswear retailer Böhme.

Unified Commerce Group made an initial investment in Böhme in early 2024, and increased its investment this month to become the majority shareholder. As the majority investor, Unified Commerce Group assumes operational control of Böhme, with UCG Founder Dustin Jones taking the role of CEO. Böhme co-Founder Vivien Böhme will remain in her role as President running day-to-day operations.

Unified Commerce Group was founded in 2019, with the aim to create a globally compelling portfolio of lifestyle brands, and to enable them with platform capabilities that Jones and his experienced team have built to drive growth. In addition to capital investment, Böhme now has access to the company’s shared services platform- UCG Hub.

The UCG Hub provides operational support, leadership and strategy for each portfolio brand, including digital operations, marketing strategy, as well as technology and finance. The Hub is uniquely designed for mid-sized apparel brands to accelerate their growth and achieve their potential for significant scale. Böhme becomes the fourth brand in UCG’s portfolio, in addition to New York footwear brand GREATS, Canadian fashion brand Frank And Oak, and LA-based athleisure brand Spiritual Gangster.

The investment in Böhme comes at an exciting moment for the brand, which launched in 2006 with its first store in the Fashion Place Mall in Murray, Utah. The retailer now has 15 stores throughout Utah, Arizona, Idaho and Montana, as well as a successful online presence.

“After spending 20 years working and investing in retail across North America and Asia, I am thrilled to be back in Utah and able to invest in such a promising homegrown business. Since founding the company 18 years ago, Vivien Böhme has become an impressive leader and we have tremendous confidence in her continuing leadership,” said Dustin Jones, “After the seeing the momentum of the business with our initial investment, we believe that there is still vast untapped potential for this brand, and are excited to bring Böhme to a new phase of growth.”

“Dustin and the UCG team have been incredibly supportive of our business over the past few months, and we are extremely confident that this partnership will enable us to continue to grow our presence in the region and nationwide,” said Vivien Böhme.

About Unified Commerce Group
Unified Commerce Group (UCG) is a platform for the next generation of retail brands. UCG was founded by Utah native Dustin Jones and Greg Freihofner with a mission to unlock growth opportunities for high-potential retail brands through expansion into new markets and customer-centric omni-channel capabilities. As an owner and operator of Frank And Oak, GREATS, and Spiritual Gangster,  UCG has implemented operational overhauls to scale the brands in a new multi-channel retail environment. Powered by a proprietary tech and data management engine, UCG offers new and established brands a platform to achieve scale by implementing best-in-class store and digital operations, accessing new global markets, and tapping into a world-class partner network. For more information, please visit UnifiedCommerceGroup.com.

About Böhme
Böhme was founded by Vivien and Fernanda Böhme, two sisters from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil who moved to Utah as young girls. Since opening Böhme in 2006, the brand has become one of the most beloved womenswear retailers in the Mountain West, and has expanded to 15 stores in Utah, Idaho, Montana and Arizona, as well as a successful online presence.

Media Contact: Elisabeth de Gramont
elisabeth@unifiedcommercegroup.com 

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SOURCE Unified Commerce Group

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The Inner Circle acknowledges Colleen Reilly as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence

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PORT ST. JOE, Fla., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Colleen Reilly is honored as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for her contributions to Transforming Catering and Event Services in Northwest Florida.

Since 2015, Colleen Reilly has served as founder and CEO of Catering Connections, a company that has redefined catering in Northwest Florida’s beach communities through innovation, collaboration, and community focus. Guided by her motto “Just one call feeds them all,” Ms. Reilly established a unique model by partnering with local restaurants to showcase their specialties, fostering unity among businesses while providing clients with one-of-a-kind event experiences.

With over 15 years of industry expertise, Ms. Reilly specializes in coordinating weddings, family reunions, and corporate events, managing every detail from client consultation to menu planning and flawless execution. Her dedication to service has earned Catering Connections multiple recognitions, including the Couples Choice Award from WeddingWire from 2021 to 2025, the Best of Florida Award from 2022 to 2024, and the Lux Life Hospitality and Catering Award in 2023 and 2024.

Ms. Reilly’s career foundation includes an associate degree in paralegal studies, magna cum laude, from Volunteer State College, a reflection of her meticulous approach to detail and commitment to excellence. Beyond her business, she serves her community as a board member of the Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership and as president of Friends of the Governor Stone Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to preserving maritime heritage in Panama City. Her previous civic contributions include serving five years as a guardian ad litem, advocating for children within the legal system, and volunteering as a school chaperone for international student trips.

A leader who blends innovation with service, Ms. Reilly continues to grow Catering Connections while deepening her commitment to the local community. Looking ahead, she remains dedicated to expanding her company’s impact, bringing people together, and creating meaningful experiences through food and fellowship.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, editorialteam@continentalwhoswho.com

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SOURCE The Inner Circle

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Media Contributor Kianga Moore to Host Executive Media Roundtable On AI’s Transformational Impact in Retail

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Leaders from AdFury.ai, Vendormint, and New Nexus Group to Explore Real-Time Decision-Making, Resilience, and Growth in a Volatile Market

NEW YORK, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As retailers navigate ongoing economic uncertainty, supply chain volatility, and rapidly shifting consumer expectations, the upcoming convening of a high-level roundtable discussion will examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping the retail landscape in real time.

Moderated by Media Contributor Kianga Moore, to be held on Wednesday, April 29 at 11h00am (EST), the roundtable will bring together senior leaders from AdFury.ai, Vendormint and New Nexus Group to discuss how modern enterprise platforms are leveraging AI to drive agility, efficiency, and long-term resilience across the retail ecosystem.

The discussion will additionally focus on how AI is enabling retailers to respond dynamically to changing demand signals, optimize marketing investments, and strengthen interoperability across increasingly complex vendor and marketplace networks.

“Retailers today are operating in a constant state of disruption”, stated Kianga Moore. “This roundtable will explore how AI is not just a tool for efficiency, but a strategic asset for anticipating change and building more resilient, adaptive American enterprise.”

Key discussion topics will include remarks on how, for example, enterprise AI platforms are helping retailers respond instantly to fluctuations in consumer demand, pricing pressures, and external supply chain disruptions and the role of AI in enhancing interoperability across vendors, partners, and marketplaces to create more agile and resilient retail infrastructures in 2026.

Rob Gonda, Chief Technical Officer at Vendormint, stated that, “Interoperability is the backbone of modern retail. AI enables seamless communication between platforms, vendors, and marketplaces—turning fragmented systems into cohesive, responsive ecosystems that can adapt under pressure.”

Discussion topics will also include machine learning’s ability to optimize ad spend, improving personalization, and delivering measurable ROI while maintaining brand trust and regulatory compliance.

Eric Howerton, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of AdFury.ai, added that,”AI is fundamentally changing how brands approach customer acquisition. By leveraging machine learning through fine-tuned, retail-specific agentic flows, we can not only optimize ad spend in real time, but we can also ensure messaging is personalized, compliant, and aligned with evolving consumer expectations.”

And indeed the roundtable will include discussions on how AI-powered predictive analytics can help businesses anticipate economic, technological, and geopolitical disruptions ahead—and plan accordingly.

Cheryl Yarbrough, Vice President of Partnerships at New Nexus Group added that, “Resilience in retail is no longer built in quarterly planning cycles-it’s built in real time. AI gives organizations the ability to identify disruptions before they cascade, pivot strategies before momentum is lost, and maintain continuity when the market moves faster than any human team can react alone.”

The roundtable will be held via Zoom TeleConference, with questions from the press and key stakeholders to follow opening remarks and a 30-minute Q&A between the moderator and the panelists.

For all media inquiries and to register to attend, please contact: Sam Amsterdam, Amsterdam Group Public Relations Inc. – Sam@AmsterdamGroup.net / +1 (202) 910-8349

Vendormint (https://vendormint.com)New Nexus Group (https://www.newnexusgroup.com)AdFury.ai (https://www.adfury.ai)

Samuel Amsterdam
Communications Counsel
Vendormint
samuelamsterdam@gmail.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/media-contributor-kianga-moore-to-host-executive-media-roundtable-on-ais-transformational-impact-in-retail-302753148.html

SOURCE Vendormint

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Fairway Home Mortgage Earns Prestigious USA TODAY Top Workplaces Award For 6th Consecutive Year

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Fairway CEO Steve Jacobson Named #1 Leadership Award Winner of Companies With 2500+ Employees

MADISON, Wis., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fairway Home Mortgage announced that it has earned the prestigious 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award. This is the sixth year in a row Fairway achieved this honor.

The award honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 40,500 organizations were invited to participate. The winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement. USA TODAY showcased the winners at the National Awards Summit in Nashville. Watch the video of the event here.

“Being recognized with this award reflects Fairway’s commitment to bringing our people together face-to-face,” said Fairway’s CEO and Founder Steve Jacobson. “Companies are better when their people are around each other. People need each other and they learn from each other, and we’re very intentional about creating opportunities for in-person collaboration at Fairway.”

Jacobson demonstrated that in-person collaboration when he traveled to Knoxville this week with Fairway Senior Vice President Dan Richards to spend time with one of Fairway’s branches and their local real estate partners. “We engaged in real conversations about the market, discussed what people are seeing on the ground, and talked about how Fairway keeps showing up for clients,” said Richards. “It’s a reflection of the same hands-on approach that has defined Fairway’s culture for more than two decades.”

“To be named a Top Workplace for six consecutive years speaks to Fairway’s leadership, our mindset, and the empowerment of our staff,” said Fairway’s Chief People and Engagement Officer Julie Fry. “Our strength isn’t just what we offer employees. What sets a top workplace apart is the daily commitment to people—prioritizing connection, valuing contributions, and creating an environment where employees feel energized to serve because they feel valued first.”

The winners are determined by authentic employee feedback captured through a confidential survey conducted by Energage, the HR research and technology company behind the Top Workplaces program since 2006. The results are calculated based on employee responses to statements about Workplace Experience Themes, which are proven indicators of high performance.

“Earning a USA TODAY Top Workplaces award is a testament to an organization’s credibility and commitment to a people-first culture,” said Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. “This award, driven by real employee feedback, is more than just a recognition — it’s proof that your employees believe in the organization and its leadership. Job seekers and customers look for this trusted badge of credibility and excellence. It signals a company that values its people, and that kind of culture resonates in today’s competitive market”

About Fairway Home Mortgage
Madison, WI- and Carrollton, TX-based Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #2289) is a full-service mortgage lender licensed in all 50 states. Fairway is the #2 overall retail lender in the U.S.

About Energage
Making the world a better place to work together.™
Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 20 years of culture research and the results from 30 million employees surveyed across more than 80,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fairway-home-mortgage-earns-prestigious-usa-today-top-workplaces-award-for-6th-consecutive-year-302753183.html

SOURCE Fairway Home Mortgage

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