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Tony Van Heugten, CTO of e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc., inducted in the 2024 Florida Inventors Hall of Fame

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Mr. Van Heugten , CTO of e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc., joins the exclusive list of 77 inductees to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame with colleagues collectively holding over 5,200 patents. He earned his recognition as an inventor who holds over 61 U.S. Patents to his name. As CTO for e-Vision Smart Optics, his talents have added to the company’s list of over 345 e-Vision Smart Optics patents.

TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Anthony “Tony” Van Heugten, the Chief Technology Officer of e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc., became a 2024 Inductee in the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.

“We are extremely proud of Mr. Van Heugten’s deserved induction into Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, an organization that recognizes Florida inventors whose achievements have significantly advanced the quality of life for all Americans,” Joel Zychick, CEO, of eVision Smart Optics, Inc.

Mr. Van Heugten is now on the exclusive list of 77 inductees to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame with colleagues collectively holding over 5,200 patents. He earned his recognition as an inventor who holds over 61 U.S. Patents to his name. As CTO for e-Vision Smart Optics, his talents have added to the company’s list of over 345 e-Vision Smart Optics patents.

He joins an impressive list of globally recognized inventors

Mr. Van Heugten was inducted in the Annual Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, October 25, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame includes globally recognized names like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and many other inventors that have made positive impacts in our lives.

About Tony Van Heugten

Tony Van Heugten is the Chief Technology Officer of e-Vision and a principle inventor of its liquid crystal tunable lens technology. Prior to joining e-Vision in 2007, Mr. Van Heugten, co-founded WaveTec Vision Systems, Inc. (“WaveTec”) in 2000 serving as Chief Technology Officer, co-inventing the intra-operative wave front sensor that improves visual outcomes in eye surgery. In 2014, WaveTec was sold to Alcon*. Mr. Van Heugten has worked with many leaders in the ophthalmic community developing numerous successful products such as an instrument that creates stitch-less incisions for cataract surgery in one pass and an instrument to remove an implanted IOL through a 3mm incision.

Mr. Van Heugten has also managed other numerous successful technical projects both inside and outside of ophthalmology including the development of new products in interventional cardiology (MedClose), vascular access (Johnson & Johnson) and laser-vision-correction lasers (Summit Technology). He was a co-developer of

e-Vision’s electro-optic phoropter for performing vision examinations.

e-Vision Smart Optics – Company Overview

eVision is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida and a pioneer in electronic lens modulation with more than 18 years of experience designing and fabricating optics that control and shape light with no moving parts. “We are extremely proud of Mr. Van Heugten’s deserved induction into Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, an organization that recognizes Florida inventors whose achievements have significantly advanced the quality of life for all Americans.” Joel Zychick, CEO, of eVision Smart Optics, Inc. With ownership or control of over 440 issued or pending worldwide patents, e-Vision has significant protection for its intellectual property. This extensive patent portfolio is classified as follows:

e-Vision Intellectual Property

Optical Designs for Electronic Lenses: e-Vision’s patents cover its designs for electronic lenses and optics, including diffractive and pixelated diffractive optics, refractive optics, combination diffractive/refractive optics and adjustable fluidic optics.Electronics: Patents cover activating (focusing), powering and charging electronic optics remotely, wirelessly and/or anatomically with the electronics either imbedded in the optics or located outside the optics. Other patents cover memory and data transmission.Specific Applications for Electronic Lenses: The patent portfolio covers the application of Smart Focus Optics for eyecare (contact lenses, IOLs and spectacles), mobile media (optics for cameras, web cams, the “Internet of Things”), ophthalmic diagnostic devices (the electronic phoropter, for example) and more.Flexible Optics: e-Vision’s patents also cover the use of flexible (foldable) electronic lenses, optics and electronics for its eyecare applications.Support: e-Vision also has numerous additional patents on the processes and methods required to fabricate electronic lenses and optics.Wearables: The Internet of Things: Patents covering electronic wearable frames that encapsulate mobile media components including audio, video, microphones and wireless communication and the electronics (power and control) to drive such components.

e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc. is a privately held Delaware-based Corporation with its development facility and administrative offices located in Sarasota, Florida. The company was established in 1999 and its initial focus was technology licensing and transfer activities for lens-based and electronic wearable applications. In 2010, e-Vision created its own development platform to create tunable liquid crystal-based optics and wearable electronic frames. e-Vision believes that its technology will have a transformative influence on the complex lens systems required to bring what can be imagined to reality.

Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality, AR, VR and MR

Today there is a rush to develop products that interface with powerful computing advancements in Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality. e-Vision Smart Optics patents and development activities interface the sight and sound that is critical for the success of AR, VR and MR. e-Vision Smart Optics holds many other patents that are foundational to the development of reality-based products in both spectacle lens eyewear and the Electronic Contact Lens (ECL) contact technology.

About the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame

By encouraging discovery, the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame supports a culture of creativity that fuels innovation, drives economic growth, and encourages investment in Florida. The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is a state-wide initiative dedicated to honoring and celebrating Florida inventors whose achievements have significantly advanced the quality of life for all Americans.

Florida consistently ranks among the top 10 states for most patents granted. The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame recognizes these inventors, inspires the next generation of innovators, and works to bring attention to Florida, as a state where research, innovation and discovery thrive, and where great inventors have lived and worked.

*e-Vision has no affiliation with Alcon, the largest eye care devices company in the world.

Florida Inventors Hall of Fame • 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612 www.floridainvents.org

e-Vision™ Smart Optics, Inc. 1144 Tallevast Rd, Suites 113-115 Sarasota, FL 34243 www.evisionoptics.com

Media Contact

Joel Zycheck, e-Vision Smart Optics Inc., 1 9413514580, info@evisionoptics.com

www.evisionoptics.com

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SOURCE e-Vision Smart Optics Inc.

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1-800Accountant Launches Tax Savings Services Designed for 1099 Workers

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New offering helps independent contractors structure their business to reduce their tax burden from day one

NEW YORK, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 1-800Accountant, the nation’s leading virtual accounting firm for small businesses, announced the launch of a new service offering built specifically for 1099 workers and independent contractors. The service helps freelancers and self-employed professionals work with an accountant to select the right business setup for their income, with a focus on reducing taxes from the start.

Growth Is Outpacing Tax Readiness

Independent contractor work has grown significantly in recent years. 1-800Accountant’s client data shows sharp year-over-year growth across contractor-heavy industries, with Consulting up 17%, Construction up 10%, and Service-sector clients growing more than 200% compared to 2024. Despite this growth, many contractors continue to overpay their taxes because they operate without a formal business structure in place or the right tax election.

The gap is particularly visible in industries like Healthcare, Engineering, and Legal, where LLC adoption among 1-800Accountant clients sits at 81%, 72%, and 71%, respectively, well below the 90%-plus rates seen in higher-adoption industries like Construction and Real Estate. 1-800Accountant’s new business tax optimization service closes that gap by matching contractors with the right business type while ensuring their business is set up correctly before they file their first return.

“Independent contractors continue to be one of the fastest-growing segments of the American workforce, and they are also among the most underserved when it comes to strategic tax planning,” said Mike Savage, Founder and CEO of 1-800Accountant. “That lack of planning means that most 1099 workers don’t realize how much they’re leaving on the table. This service changes that. We’re giving contractors access to the same strategic advantages that established businesses have, ensuring the right business setup from the beginning.”

Tax Strategy Built In from Day One

These services walk clients through a structured process that includes accountant-recommended business types, registering with the appropriate state agencies, and coordinating with an accountant to ensure alignment between the structure and the client’s specific tax situation. 1-800Accountant integrates business setup for 1099 earners into a broader tax strategy tailored around each contractor’s income level, filing status, and long-term goals.

“What sets us apart is the tax strategy layer,” said Ryan Teeples, Chief of Strategy at 1-800Accountant. “What contractors and gig workers actually need are professionals to help them understand which tax setup makes the most sense for their income, their industry, and where they want their business to go. Then, we do the work to save on both their business and personal taxes. That’s what we’re delivering here.”

The service is available now to new and existing 1-800Accountant clients. Pricing starts at $19 per month (plus any government filing fees) and includes business setup evaluation, tax return preparation and filing, state registration, federal registration, simple-to-use AI bookkeeping software, and a consultation with a tax expert for onboarding and explanation of their individual tax situation.

About 1-800Accountant

1-800Accountant is the nation’s leading virtual accounting firm for small businesses and independent contractors. With a team of credentialed accountants and tax professionals, 1-800Accountant provides bookkeeping, tax preparation, tax planning, and advisory services to clients across all 50 states. The firm is committed to making professional accounting accessible and affordable for business owners at every stage.

Contact: Wyatt Johnson
Content Manager, 1-800Accountant
920-807-9159 | media@1800accountant.com

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SOURCE 1-800Accountant

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9fin launches in APAC to expand global credit coverage

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With APAC playing a bigger role in increasingly complex global credit markets, 9fin brings the news, data and AI tools professionals need to navigate volatility

HONG KONG, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 9fin, the AI-native information platform for global debt markets, has formally launched in the Asia Pacific region, giving credit professionals access to cutting-edge news, data and analysis across private and public bonds and loans.

As the 9fin team continues to grow quickly across APAC from its initial base in Hong Kong, it is supporting firms locally by providing proprietary credit intelligence, comprehensive data, and AI-powered workflow tools, all within one unified platform.

The launch comes as the tussle between public and private markets intensifies in APAC, making it more important than ever for banks, asset managers, advisors, and law firms to have visibility across the full credit landscape. While bond issuance has dropped amid geopolitical disruption, private credit activity remains robust as borrowers seek alternative financing options.

By combining deal intelligence from local sources with its extensive global credit database and AI tools, the 9fin platform gives users a comprehensive view across fragmented markets. The APAC platform includes coverage of more than 1,800 issuers and 16,000 instruments, with issuance history dating back to 2003 following 9fin’s acquisition of Bond Radar, in March 2025.

9fin is already used by more than 300 institutions globally, including KKR, Apollo, BNP Paribas, and Kirkland & Ellis. The company’s APAC buildout — supported by its $170 million Series C fundraise in March 2026 — marks the next phase of its global expansion.

Steven Hunter, CEO and co-founder at 9fin, commented: “APAC is a complex region and is becoming even more so as private markets expand and geopolitical volatility increases. The region needs a faster, smarter platform covering the full picture across bonds, loans, private credit and distressed. That’s exactly what 9fin provides. With our full platform now live in APAC, we’re giving our users the clarity to make informed decisions, faster.”

9fin’s APAC launch follows its expansion across the US, Europe, and Latin America, with CEEMEA to follow.

About 9fin

9fin is the AI-native platform for global debt markets. Founded by former J.P. Morgan banker Steven Hunter and Deutsche Bank engineer Hussam EL-Sheikh, the company combines data, analytics, and AI-powered workflows in a single platform, helping clients work smarter and faster to outperform their peers.

The company is headquartered in London, with offices in New York, Hong Kong, and Belfast and with teams across Latin America and Asia. For more information, visit 9fin.com.

Media contacts
Jessica Simpkin
jessica.simpkin@9fin.com
Shree Dhond/Katie Nerantzis
Dukas Linden Public Relations | 9fin@dlpr.com

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Trimble First Quarter Earnings Call and Webcast

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WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) will hold a conference call on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 8 a.m. ET to review its first quarter 2026 results. The call will be broadcast live on the web at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/544327873. Analysts who wish to dial into the call may do so by first registering at https://events.q4inc.com/analyst/544327873?pwd=s5ilhwSm. Upon registration, dial-in details will be sent via email to the registrant.

About Trimble

Trimble is a global technology company that connects the physical and digital worlds, transforming the ways work gets done. With relentless innovation in precise positioning, modeling and data analytics, Trimble enables essential industries including construction, geospatial and transportation. Whether it is helping customers build and maintain infrastructure, design and construct buildings, optimize global supply chains or map the world, Trimble is at the forefront, driving productivity and progress. For more information about Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB), visit: www.trimble.com.

FTRMB

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