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MERLIN SOLAR APPOINTS KENDALL COMBS AS CEO AND IAN VANREEPINGHEN AS CFO

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—Combs & VanReepinghen are poised to drive the company’s next phase of growth and innovation—

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Merlin Solar, a leader in revolutionizing solar renewable energy for mobile environments and rooftops, today announced the appointment of Kendall Combs as Chief Executive Officer and Ian VanReepinghen as Chief Financial Officer. This leadership comes at a time of significant momentum for the company, having nearly doubled its revenue the past two years and achieving 75% YoY growth in the transportation segment. In 2024, Merlin Solar launched its Microgrid Solutions Offering, expanding beyond solar panels to deliver full power systems. With a robust pipeline poised to double Merlin Solar’s size in coming years — demand is stronger than ever.

“I’ve had the rare privilege of experiencing Merlin Solar’s success from multiple vantage points, first as a customer, then as an investor, later as a board member, and now as CEO,” said Combs. “What first drew me to the company was its product: innovative, elegant, and unmatched in performance. Then, it was the people: a dynamic, passionate team whose energy and commitment are infectious. Finally, it was the opportunity. With the right product and team in place, the path to unlocking our full potential is all about the execution. I am honored to lead Merlin into this next phase of transformative growth.”

Combs steps into the role of CEO at Merlin Solar after a distinguished 13 years at Saint-Gobain, the global leader in light and sustainable construction, and both an investor in and a customer of Merlin Solar. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Strategic Business Development, driving growth as well as innovation initiatives. Prior to Saint-Gobain, Combs spent six years spearheading business development at White Peak Real Estate Investment, a Swedish-backed private equity firm focused on third-tier real estate and manufacturing investments within China. He brings extensive experience in P&L management, overseeing businesses with annual revenues that ranged from $10M to $600M. Combs has led strategic initiatives and M&As that exceeded $5B in value. He holds his MBA from Wharton, a Master’s from University of Pennsylvania as well as a Bachelor’s from University of Texas.

As CEO of Merlin Solar, Combs is focused on accelerating growth, ensuring operational excellence, and enabling seamless execution. He leads the company’s overall strategy for employees, customers, and stakeholders, ensuring the right systems and controls are in place to deliver a consistent brand experience. By optimizing execution, Combs empowers the team to expand revenue and profitability, while allowing the founders to concentrate on technology, manufacturing strategy and its customers.

As CFO of Merlin Solar, VanReepinghen brings nearly 25 years of finance, investment, and strategic planning experience across Fortune 500, middle market growth companies, as well as startups. Most recently, he had served as Director of Finance for Lundberg Family Farms,  the $150M regenerative organic agriculture and food manufacturing powerhouse. Prior to that, he was the Head of Finance for Thrilling, the Series A vintage and secondhand apparel marketplace. He brings a unique set of experiences in capital intensive industries including Real Estate, Consumer and Retail, Agriculture & Manufacturing at companies including Rodan + Fields, Tory Burch, Estoril Consulting Group, LLC, MasterCard, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Gap Inc., and others. VanReepinghen brings an extensive US and global network and capabilities within managing heavy financial detail, analysis, and micro-level work.

“From the moment that I spoke with Merlin Solar’s Founder, Murali—who gave me a deep dive into the product and shared his genuine enthusiasm and authenticity—I was an instant believer in the company’s mission,” shared VanReepinghen. “I was equally impressed by our premier backers—including Fifth Wall and Saint-Gobain—who bring immense credibility to the company. It has quickly become clear to me that Merlin’s product is not just innovative — it delivers real value, driving significant reductions in energy and resource usage, while easily integrating into existing customer operations. I’m thrilled to support Kendall in scaling the company’s products across various channels and expanding its impact.”

VanReepinghen will focus on driving Merlin Solar’s sustained, profitable and scalable growth. He will guide the team in allocating resources for the highest ROI and act as a strategic advisor to Combs and the rest of the company’s management team, ensuring informed financial decisions that minimize risk and maximize reward. He will streamline their reporting, improve processes, and remove barriers to growth, while reinforcing the culture of innovation and collaboration across teams. His expertise will ensure that the company meets its financial goals and positions itself for near- and long-term success.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/merlin-solar-appoints-kendall-combs-as-ceo-and-ian-vanreepinghen-as-cfo-302427816.html

SOURCE Merlin Solar

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Play Yellow Tees Up as Charity Beneficiary of Inaugural Austin Championship to Support Children’s Healthcare

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Delta Air Lines to sponsor Play Yellow Sunday, celebrating local patient families and supporting Dell Children’s Medical Center through Children’s Miracle Network

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Play Yellow, a fundraising program of Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), is excited to be part of the inaugural Austin Championship presented by Compliance Solutions, bringing its mission of supporting children’s healthcare to the course and the local community. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit Play Yellow and provide significant support to the local children’s hospital, Dell Children’s Medical Center, and the surrounding community.

Play Yellow unites the golf community to support children’s healthcare across the U.S. and Canada. Founded through a partnership between Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, Children’s Miracle Network and the PGA Tour, Play Yellow invites golfers, tournaments and fans to turn their passion for the game into life-changing care.

“Our partnership with the PGA Tour and events like the Austin Championship presented by Compliance Solutions reminds us what’s possible when a community comes together for kids,” said Becca Evans, National Director of Play Yellow, Children’s Miracle Network. “We’re grateful for every golfer, fan, and partner who helps make big change for all kids.”

Delta Air Lines Sponsors Play Yellow Sunday

Delta Air Lines is sponsoring Play Yellow Sunday. By wearing yellow and fundraising through golf, the Play Yellow community elevates the level of care at local children’s hospitals.

Ten patient families will join Children’s Miracle Network on the course, wearing caddie bibs featuring the Delta Air Lines logo. Some children will have the opportunity to walk a hole alongside a PGA Tour professional, while others will join the action by helping as honorary caddies on the 18th green. Among the participating children is Jett Payne, the local Children’s Miracle Network champion.

After a difficult delivery, Jett began experiencing seizures and was transferred to Dell Children’s Medical Center, where an MRI revealed multiple strokes that likely occurred before or during birth. He spent 12 days in the Neuro-NICU, where specialized care helped stabilize his seizures and support his recovery. Today, Jett is a thriving 2-year-old who is walking, talking, and exceeding milestones. He will be joined by his parents, Ryann and Brad Payne, and his brother, Briggs, age 9.

Supporting Dell Children’s Medical Center

Dell Children’s, a hospital within Children’s Miracle Network, has partnered with CMN for nearly 40 years. Since opening in 2007, Dell Children’s Medical Center has served as Central Texas’s only freestanding pediatric Level I trauma center, bringing world-class children’s healthcare to families in their own community. From pediatric heart and bone marrow transplants to expanding access to pediatric mental health care, Dell Children’s continues to advance what’s possible for children across Central Texas.

“Every day at Dell Children’s, we see the difference that access to specialized pediatric care makes in the lives of children and their families,” said Megan Campuzano, Senior Director, Annual Giving, Dell Children’s Medical Center. “The generosity of our community supports that care, allowing us to expand what we can do for children across Central Texas. We are grateful to Play Yellow, Children’s Miracle Network, the PGA Tour, and every supporter making this event a reality. It is meaningful to see our patient families recognized on such a special stage and to have our community unite behind a brighter future for all kids.”

Play Yellow Ambassadors Lead the Way

Helping bring the CMN mission to life on the course, Play Yellow’s ambassadors Patrick Fishburn, Hank Lebioda, Justin Lower, Kevin Roy, Max McGreevy, Peter Malnati, and Neal Shipley will also take the course in Austin, continuing to use their platforms to rally golfers, fans, sponsors, and communities around the shared mission of supporting children’s healthcare.

To learn more about Play Yellow, explore its ambassadors, start your own golf fundraiser, or find ways to get involved, visit playyellow.cmn.org.

About Children’s Miracle Network:

For more than 40 years, Children’s Miracle Network® has been a symbol of hope, elevating possibilities for every child in need of care. As the leading charity impacting children’s healthcare, we unite people, partners and programs to raise urgently needed funds for children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada.

Wherever you see our iconic balloon, you’ll find donors, corporate partners and fundraising programs joining forces to help hospitals meet their most critical needs—from life-changing care and advanced equipment to innovative research and family support. Every dollar raised benefits the local children’s hospital, bringing brighter futures within reach for all kids.

Learn more at cmn.org.

About Play Yellow:

Play Yellow, a Children’s Miracle Network program in partnership with Jack and Barbara Nicklaus and the PGA Tour, unites the golf community to turn their passion for the game by raising funds for life-changing care for all kids.

Media Contact:
Christina Vitale | cvitale@cmn.org | 908-839-2152

On-Site Contact:
Samantha Edwards | sedwards@cmn.org |812-243-2159

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/play-yellow-tees-up-as-charity-beneficiary-of-inaugural-austin-championship-to-support-childrens-healthcare-302936778.html

SOURCE Children’s Miracle Network

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Gushine Brings Global Manufacturing Capabilities and Custom Battery Solutions to electronica 2026

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MUNICH, Nov. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gushine Electronics, a specialist in custom lithium battery solutions, is showcasing its battery engineering expertise and international manufacturing capabilities at electronica 2026, held November 10–13 in Munich, Germany. At Hall A5, Booth 275, the company is presenting custom battery solutions for robotics, industrial automation, medical equipment, and industrial handheld devices.

Manufacturing Operations Across China and Vietnam

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Zhuhai, China, Gushine provides custom battery pack development and manufacturing services for OEM customers worldwide.

Building on its established R&D and manufacturing operations in China, Gushine began production operations in Vietnam in 2025. The facility continues to develop its production processes and manufacturing capabilities, focusing on battery packs for handheld terminals and smart devices while complementing the company’s operations in China.

Custom Battery Solutions for Robotics and Industrial Applications

As automation expands across manufacturing, warehousing, and commercial services, equipment manufacturers face increasingly diverse requirements for battery runtime, performance, safety, and system integration.

At electronica 2026, Gushine is highlighting custom battery solutions for automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), warehouse automation equipment, and commercial service robots.

The company is also showcasing battery solutions for robotic lawn mowers, cleaning robots, medical carts, rugged handheld terminals, and surveying instruments.

Gushine’s engineering capabilities span cell selection, mechanical design, battery management system (BMS) development, and communication integration. This approach enables battery systems to be tailored to the operating conditions and technical requirements of different applications.

Strengthening Long-Term Partnerships in Europe

Europe’s diverse innovation ecosystem, particularly in industrial manufacturing, automation, medical technology, and specialized equipment, offers opportunities for long-term technical collaboration.

“European companies demonstrate strong engineering expertise and a commitment to innovation. We believe meaningful innovation begins with understanding real-world application needs. By working closely with our customers, we aim to help turn their ideas into reliable, market-ready products through customized battery engineering,” said Jack Yu, Vice President at Gushine.

Gushine remains committed to strengthening relationships with European OEMs, building lasting technical partnerships, and supporting the development of next-generation equipment and technologies.

Visit Gushine at electronica 2026: Hall A5, Booth 275, Messe München, November 10–13.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gushine-brings-global-manufacturing-capabilities-and-custom-battery-solutions-to-electronica-2026-302936635.html

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AICPA & CIMA’s first-ever China’s ENGAGE Asia Conference 2026 concludes the future of accounting and finance will be defined by trust, talent, and human judgement

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SHANGHAI, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ENGAGE Asia Conference 2026 brought together 600 business, finance and technology leaders from across Asia and around the world to explore the trends, opportunities and challenges shaping the future of organisations and the accounting and finance profession.

Under the theme The Next Wave – Transformative Innovation, discussions covered the impact of AI on finance; business and leadership; the future of talent and workforce transformation; long-term value creation; China’s global ambition; and the growing importance of trust in an increasingly complex world.

Throughout the two-day conference, speakers and delegates also examined how organisations can harness technology while strengthening human judgment, adaptability and ethical leadership, reinforcing the critical role accounting and finance professionals play in driving innovation, resilience and sustainable growth in a rapidly changing global economy.

Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, President & CEO of AICPA & CIMA said, “The ENGAGE Asia Conference 2026 has demonstrated the tremendous energy, innovation and leadership emerging from China and Asia’s business community. The conversations, together with the insights from our RISE2040 initiative, reinforce that the future of accounting and finance will be defined not only by technological advancement, but by our ability to combine AI with trust, talent and human judgment. Accounting and Finance professionals have a vital role to play in creating sustainable value and helping businesses thrive. The ideas and connections sparked here in Shanghai will help shape the next wave of leadership and progress.”

Vicky Li, Vice President, North Asia, AICPA & CIMA, said, “Hosting the ENGAGE Asia Conference in Shanghai for the first time, in conjunction with CIMA China’s 20th anniversary, reflects both the growing importance of both China and Asia in the global economy and the region’s commitment to innovation and talent development. Over the past two days, we have brought together diverse perspectives from business, accounting, finance, technology and academia to explore how organisations can thrive in a rapidly changing world. We are proud to provide a platform that equips professionals with the insights, skills and connections needed to lead with confidence in the future.”

In August 2027, the Engage Asia Conference moves to Malaysia.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/aicpa–cimas-first-ever-chinas-engage-asia-conference-2026-concludes-the-future-of-accounting-and-finance-will-be-defined-by-trust-talent-and-human-judgement-302936798.html

SOURCE AICPA & CIMA

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