Technology

BRC Group Holdings Seeks to Repurchase Minority Shares of B. Riley Securities and Combine B. Riley Securities with B. Riley Wealth

Published

7 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Transaction Expected to Create a Differentiated Capital Solution for the Small-Cap and Middle Market

LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BRC Group Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RILY) (“BRCGH” or the “Company”), a diversified holding company, today announced a series of strategic actions designed to consolidate its financial services platform, and posture the company for renewed growth while reinforcing its position as a leading, end-to-end capital markets and advisory partner serving the small-cap and middle market.

The Company intends to repurchase the outstanding shares of B. Riley Securities (“BRS”) and seeks to combine BRS with B. Riley Wealth (“BRW”), bringing together the Company’s institutional and retail distribution under a single investment banking and wealth management platform. In connection with these actions, BRCGH also announced leadership changes at BRS.

Bryant Riley, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of BRCGH, said: “There is a critical and growing need for capital in the small-cap and middle market to support the key initiatives of clients. This capital is often time-sensitive, highly structured, and offers attractive risk-adjusted returns. It is often sourced through non-traditional providers such as hedge funds and family offices through a process that is expensive, complex, time-intensive – and that, when not paired with holistic investment banking solutions, can be unnecessarily restrictive to clients and impede their growth.

“With its renewed financial strength, BRCGH recently formalized this activity with the launch of BRC Specialty Finance platform.

“To more efficiently deploy our combined capital resources and continue to accelerate growth of the platform, BRCGH will pursue a repurchase of the approximately 8% of minority shares of BRS not already owned by BRCGH. Upon completion, BRS expects to be one of the few investment banks supporting its clients with this type of capital, providing a significant competitive advantage.”

Merger of BRS and BRW
The Company intends to effect a merger of BRS and BRW by year end, subject to regulatory approval, including approval by FINRA under Rule 1017. The combination is expected to streamline operations across both regulated entities, accelerate combined platform growth, and provide BRW clients with access to appropriate proprietary investment opportunities.

Realigned Management Team
To steward this next chapter of integrated growth and shareholder creation, the Company has realigned its senior leadership team. Effective immediately, Bryant Riley, has been appointed Executive Chairman of BRS, Andy Moore returns as Chief Executive Officer of BRS, and Joseph Nardini, Head of Investment Banking, has been promoted to President of BRS. Bryant and Andy will join, and Joseph will continue to serve, as members of BRS’s Executive Committee. Michael Mullen, Chief Executive Officer of BRW, will also join BRS’s Executive Committee upon completion of all applicable FINRA registration and regulatory requirements.

Andy Moore, Chief Executive Officer of BRS, said: “These changes are focused on renewed growth and reinforce our commitment to BRS’s long-term success. With the combined capital of BRW and BRS behind our platform, we are positioned to move with speed and conviction on complex mandates that require significant capital and deep-rooted relationships. As traditional funding sources retreat, our deeper bench and expanded capabilities make us an attractive choice for clients and talent. The planned merger with BRW is expected to ensure that we are best equipped to capture market momentum and deliver long-term value.”

Joseph Nardini, President and Head of Investment Banking of BRS, said: “We are now in a position to leverage our platform to drive long-term value and establish BRS as the strategic capital partner of choice for the underserved small-cap and middle market. The ability to pair investment banking services with BRCGH’s capital resources is a powerful proposition for our clients. Combined with increased collaboration between BRS and BRW, we are positioned to deliver greater capacity and capabilities across every mandate.”

Michael Mullen, Chief Executive Officer of BRW, said: “The merger of BRS and BRW will give our advisors and their clients access to sophisticated capital markets capabilities and proprietary investment opportunities that differentiate us from our competitors. This elevated offering will establish our wealth platform as a premier destination for top-tier, solutions-oriented advisors. I look forward to serving on the BRS Executive Committee and the significant value-creation opportunity that this new structure will bring to our advisors and customers.”

Leadership Transition
Concurrent with these leadership changes, Jimmy Baker has stepped down from his role as Chief Executive Officer of BRS and resigned from the B. Riley Securities Holdings Board of Directors. Riley added: “Jimmy has been a pivotal leader of BRS since joining us in 2010. We are grateful for his significant contributions and thank him for his leadership and his dedication.”

About BRC Group Holdings, Inc.
BRC Group Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RILY) is a diversified holding company, including financial services, communications, and retail, and investments in equity, debt and venture capital. Our core financial services platform provides small cap and middle market companies customized end-to-end solutions at every stage of the enterprise life cycle. Our banking business offers comprehensive services in capital markets, sales, trading, research, merchant banking, M&A, and restructuring. Our wealth management business offers wealth management and financial planning services including brokerage, investment management, insurance, and tax preparation. Our communications businesses provide consumer and business services including traditional, mobile and cloud phone, internet and data, security, and email. Our retail businesses provide mobile computing accessories and home furnishings. BRCGH deploys its capital inside and outside its core financial services platform to generate shareholder value through opportunistic investments. For more information, please visit www.brcgh.com.

About B. Riley Securities, Inc.
BRS provides a full suite of investment banking and capital markets services to corporations, financial sponsors, and institutional investors across all industry verticals. Services include initial and follow-on offerings, debt and equity-linked solutions, institutional private placements, merger and acquisition (M&A) advisory, corporate restructuring, and liability management. Widely recognized for its thematic proprietary equity research, clients benefit from BRS’s extensive network, industry expertise, and proven execution capabilities through its end-to-end platform. For more information, visit www.brileysecurities.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About B. Riley Wealth
B. Riley Wealth is a full-service investment firm serving the diverse financial needs of individuals and families, businesses and institutions, non-profits, trusts, foundations, and endowments. Our wealth management financial professionals offer consultative investment advice, financial planning expertise, brokerage and tax services. Working alongside you, a B. Riley Wealth financial professional can leverage our expansive array of investment products, tools and technology to implement a sound financial strategy based on your values, needs and goals.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, our business, operating results, financial condition, and stock price could be materially negatively affected. Our forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding our expectation of repurchasing the minority shares of BRS, the anticipated merger between BRS and BRW, the expectation that these actions will maximize revenue and opportunities for clients and the timing of the anticipated transactions. The proposed merger of BRS and BRW is subject to approval by FINRA pursuant to Rule 1017 and other applicable regulatory requirements, and there can be no assurance that such approval will be obtained, that it will not be subject to conditions that materially affect the structure or timing of the proposed merger, or that the merger will be completed on the terms described herein or at all. You should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to us and speak only as of today’s date. The Company assumes no duty to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company’s performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance, or achievements. Actual future results, performance or achievements may differ materially from historical results or those anticipated depending on a variety of factors, some of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, the risk that the parties may not reach agreement on the terms of the minority share repurchase, regulatory delays, general economic conditions and the risks described from time to time in the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, the risks described in the Company’s 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” (as applicable). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

Contacts

Investors
ir@brcgh.com

Media
press@brcgh.com

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SOURCE BRC Group Holdings, Inc.

Technology

SiMa.ai Wins Edge AI + Vision Alliance 2026 Product of the Year for Modalix SoM

Published

18 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SiMa.ai, a leader in Physical AI, today announced it has been named the winner of the “Best Edge AI Board” by the Edge AI + Vision Alliance’s 2026 Product of the Year Awards — recognizing breakthrough innovation where machine intelligence meets real-world applications.

“We are moving from passive edge to Physical AI — where machines reason and act autonomously in the real world. Being recognized by the Edge AI and Vision Alliance affirms what SiMa.ai was founded to deliver: high performance without the power drain, and a true platform for this transition. Our purpose-built Modalix MLSoC, paired with Palette, our software suite, addresses the full spectrum of use cases — from computer vision to reasoning-based analytics. Combined with our deep partner collaboration, we are enabling customers across industries to get to market faster and more efficiently,” said Durga Peddireddy, Vice President of Product Management & Partnerships, SiMa.ai.

This recognition builds on the momentum of SiMa.ai’s Modalix™ MLSoC System-on-Module (SoM), launched in 2025. Modalix powers generative AI (GenAI), computer vision, and machine learning (ML) inference at the edge, combining Arm-based compute, advanced vision processing, and high-bandwidth I/O into a single, low-power module designed for power-constrained environments.

Physical AI deployments often face significant hurdles, including high power consumption, thermal limits, and the need for expensive hardware redesigns. The Modalix platform addresses these challenges by allowing customers to modernize existing systems quickly, bringing powerful AI closer to the data source without requiring a total infrastructure overhaul.

By enabling advanced perception, multimodal reasoning, and real-time decision-making directly on-device, the platform eliminates the need for high-power GPU hardware. This efficiency unlocks scalable deployments across industrial automation, robotics, and intelligent video applications.

The Edge AI + Vision Alliance brings together leading multinational companies and emerging innovators, connecting thousands of technical professionals across the industry. As the winner of the “Best Edge AI Board” category for the 2026 Product of the Year Awards, SiMa.ai is recognized for Modalix’s ability to deliver efficient, high-performance Physical AI at the edge in under 10W.

About SiMa.ai
SiMa.ai is a leader in Physical AI, delivering a purpose-built, software-centric platform that brings best-in-class performance, power efficiency, and ease of use to Physical AI applications. Focused on scaling Physical AI across robotics, automotive, industrial automation, aerospace & defense, smart vision, and healthcare, SiMa.ai is led by seasoned technologists and backed by top-tier investors. Headquartered in San Jose, California. Learn more at www.sima.ai.

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SOURCE SiMa.ai

Technology

Critical Minerals Standards: ANSI Launches Initiative to Strengthen U.S. Supply Chains and Request for Information

Published

18 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

New initiative maps the standards landscape, convenes stakeholders, and builds toward a national strategy

NEW YORK, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is launching a multi-phase initiative to strengthen U.S. coordination on critical minerals standards — the shared rules and benchmarks that help ensure minerals are sourced responsibly, supply chains remain secure, and American industry stays competitive globally. This initiative moves forward thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Mining and Mineral Production Technologies Office, whose partnership made it possible to act on one of the nation’s most pressing industrial priorities. It directly responds to U.S. government priorities to secure domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals.

This effort brings together U.S. stakeholders to coordinate national standards priorities, positioning American industry and government to contribute meaningfully to the success of the G7 Critical Minerals Standards Roadmap while harnessing the momentum of the current administration’s focus on supply chain resilience and domestic competitiveness.

The initiative includes a standards landscape assessment, a webinar series, a two-day hybrid workshop, and a summary report with recommended next steps. A call for webinar speakers and a request for information for the standards landscape is open.

Why This Matters

Critical minerals are foundational to national defense, clean energy, advanced electronics, manufacturing, and infrastructure. Yet as global demand rises, the U.S. faces real risks: fragmented efforts at home, supply chain vulnerabilities, and growing urgency to align on the international rules that govern how these materials are sourced, processed, and traded.

Standards bring order to that complexity. They promote transparency and traceability across supply chains, help U.S. companies access global markets, and give the public and private sectors a common framework for investment. Without a coordinated approach, the U.S. risks ceding influence to competitors who are already moving.

What the Initiative Includes

ANSI connects the organizations that develop standards with the industries that rely on them. To accelerate U.S. leadership on critical minerals, ANSI will deliver:

A standards landscape assessment that maps the current state of play: which standards exist, which organizations develop them, where work is underway, and where gaps remain. The assessment will cover the full supply chain — from extraction through processing, manufacturing, and recovery — and consolidate prior mapping efforts into a single, accessible resource. A Request for Information (RFI) is open.A webinar series to raise awareness of existing standards and regulatory activities related to critical minerals, including a dedicated session for U.S. government stakeholders. Briefings will feature standards developers working across the supply chain. Speakers invited and registration is open.A two-day hybrid workshop convening federal agencies, standards organizations, and industry to identify high-priority needs, explore challenges, and inform the development of a U.S. critical minerals standards strategy this September in the Washington, DC area. A summary report will capture key findings, gaps, and recommended next steps.

Ongoing Coordination

ANSI also convenes a quarterly U.S. ISO Critical Minerals Standards Coordination Group for members of U.S. delegations to ISO Technical Committees. The group serves as a forum to share information, coordinate engagement, and align international standards activities. The next meeting is April 24 — registration is now open.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.

The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org and access the latest news and content on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.

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SOURCE American National Standards Institute

Technology

Bobby Lehew Named commonsku’s Chief AI Officer — an Industry First in Promo

Published

1 hour ago

April 20, 2026

TORONTO, April 20, 2026 /CNW/ – commonsku, the connected workflow platform trusted by 950+ distributors driving $1.9 billion in network volume, today announced the creation of a dedicated AI + Strategy role, promoting Bobby Lehew to Chief AI Officer to lead the company’s AI initiative for customers and the platform. The move makes commonsku the first platform in the promotional products industry to invest at the leadership level in AI strategy shaped directly by distributor needs.

The new role bridges the gap between what AI can do and what commonsku’s customers need it to solve, owning the intelligence loop between customers, product, and the AI landscape. What makes the role distinct: it combines AI landscape intelligence, product strategy influence, direct customer engagement, and industry thought leadership in a single role.

A Natural Evolution

Lehew brings more than 30 years of experience in the promotional products industry to the role. Prior to joining commonsku, he was the CEO of Robyn Promotions, a company among the first wave of distributors who architected the model of technology driven e-commerce company stores in the industry, earning three consecutive Inc. 5000 rankings. Always tech-forward in his work, his industry recognition includes multiple Gold and Silver PPAI Pyramid Awards.

The shift to AI strategy is a natural next chapter for Lehew. At commonsku, he built the company’s content engine from scratch — co-hosting the skucast (350+ episodes, the #1 promotional products podcast) while leaning heavily into AI for all his work. He is editor of The AI Promo Brief, the industry’s go-to resource for AI developments in promotional products, and speaks frequently on the future of merch and the cultural shifts transforming how we sell. At PPAI Expo 2026, his AI session packed the room to capacity and was named a must-attend session by PPAI editors. The industry has been watching Lehew move deeper into AI for over a year. This role makes it official.

Investing in AI for Customers

“The industry is at an inflection point with AI, and distributors need a partner who understands their business,” said Catherine Graham, CEO of commonsku. “commonsku has always been built ‘by promo, for promo.’ Bobby has three decades of that expertise, a passion for helping our customers, and the strategic insight to shape AI tools for future growth. This role reflects our mission: making sure our AI tools solve real problems for real distributors.”

“The companies pulling ahead are the ones leading with customer intelligence – letting what they learn from their community shape what they build and advancing with the frontier of AI development. That’s what this role is designed to do. I’ll be talking with our customers at every level about AI and making sure the features we build make work smarter, drive growth, and eliminate friction.” said Lehew.

“Bobby and I have been creative partners for years, always pushing each other to see around corners for this industry,” said Mark Graham, President of commonsku. “We’ve launched multiple projects together and helped educate and raise the standard for what the future distributor can look like. This role is a natural evolution of that passion. He deeply understands the industry and the distributor’s pain points, and he sees with us an incredible opportunity with AI. We’re thrilled to build commonsku’s AI future together.”

commonsku’s AI investments are already in motion. The skubot Mockup Generator is in beta with Advanced and Enterprise customers, a new Opportunity Agent is entering beta as an AI-powered business intelligence tool, and the company’s immediate roadmap includes a Description Rewriter, Auto-Art Configuration, and a Presentation Generator with much more to come.

About commonsku

commonsku is the workflow platform of choice for the promotional products industry. Built by industry experts, it combines CRM, order management, and social collaboration tools in one cloud-based solution. Over 950 distributors and the industry’s largest suppliers rely on commonsku to power $1.9 billion in network volume. With commonsku, teams process more orders, work more efficiently, and grow their sales faster. Learn more at www.commonsku.com.

SOURCE commonsku