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First Federal Bank Announces Agreement to Sell Third Party Origination Division to Mortgage Forward, a CUSO in the Great Lakes Credit Union Family of Companies

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LAKE CITY, Fla. and CHICAGO, June 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — First Federal Bank, headquartered in Florida, and Mortgage Forward, in Illinois, jointly announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement for Mortgage Forward to acquire First Federal’s Third-Party Origination (TPO) division, including QRL Financial.

The TPO division will augment Mortgage Forward’s long-term strategy to expand its national mortgage lending platform and strengthen support for clients seeking competitive, borrower-focused mortgage solutions. Through the acquisition, the division will have additional resources to continue and expand support for new and existing clients.

“We are pleased that this agreement allows our talented and dedicated team supporting TPO clients and institutions to continue to flourish,” said John Medina, President and CEO of First Federal Bank. “First Federal’s 2026 strategic plan emphasizes efficiency and execution which includes a strong commitment to the retail mortgage market. This agreement allows us to hone our focus.”

With the acquisition of the TPO group, Mortgage Forward will better serve TPO clients by offering additional technology and expanded products. Mortgage Forward will continue to invest in digital solutions coupled with CUSO expertise.

“This acquisition strengthens Mortgage Forward’s commitment to delivering innovative mortgage options for TPO clients. We are excited to welcome the talented First Federal Bank team and build on their strong foundation for future growth,” said Chip Adkins, President of Mortgage Forward.

With growth-oriented leadership, the company and its new division will continue to be recognized as best-in-class in the industry.

“This acquisition aligns with our vision for Mortgage Forward and our commitment to supporting credit unions and all mortgage partners nationwide. Together, we will expand our capabilities while maintaining the service and relationships our partners value,” says Michael Abraham, Chief Strategy Officer of Great Lakes Credit Union.

The parties anticipate this transaction to close in the third quarter of 2026.

About First Federal Bank & QRL Financial Services

First Federal Bank, headquartered in Lake City, FL, is a leading financial institution committed to serving the needs of its customers and communities. With banking locations across the southeast, First Federal Bank is a community-owned bank that provides a wide range of consumer and commercial banking solutions, services, and loans. QRL Financial Services provides mortgage solutions to financial institutions nationwide, out of Madison, WI. With over $4.4 billion in assets, First Federal’s family of brands has a steadfast focus on innovation and customer satisfaction. The bank has been consistently recognized with an “Excellent” rating from BauerFinancial, Inc. for over 20 years. Newsweek named First Federal the “Best Regional Bank” for 2024, 2025, and 2026. To learn more, visit www.ffbf.com.

Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

About Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU) 

Founded in 1938 and headquartered in Northern Illinois, Great Lakes Credit Union is banking for a greater good. As a not-for-profit financial cooperative with more than $1.4 billion in assets, GLCU is proud to serve more than 105,000 members in Chicagoland and surrounding areas, and to give back to its members and communities through education, volunteerism, and partnerships. Learn more at www.glcu.org

About Mortgage Forward

Mortgage Forward, LLC is a credit union service organization in the Great Lakes Credit Union Family of Companies specializing in nationwide mortgage solutions. The organization helps credit unions, financial institutions, and originators expand mortgage offerings, strengthen operational efficiency, and deliver exceptional experiences across the full lending lifecycle. Learn more at www.mortgagefwd.com.

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SOURCE First Federal Bank

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ISO 9001:2026 Release Is Approaching: What Organizations Need to Know and How Omnex Can Help

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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Organizations around the world are preparing for the release of ISO 9001:2026, the next revision of the world’s most widely adopted Quality Management System (QMS) standard. According to information discussed during Omnex’s recent webinar on the upcoming revision, the new standard is expected to be published by the end of September 2026.

While organizations should wait for the officially published standard before making final implementation decisions, quality professionals are already evaluating the anticipated updates and planning their transition strategies.

Key Themes Expected in ISO 9001:2026

Based on the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) and industry discussions, organizations can expect increased emphasis in several areas, including:

Quality culture and ethical behaviorRisk and opportunity managementEnhanced change managementOrganizational knowledge sharingClimate change considerations within organizational contextGreater alignment with ISO’s Harmonized Structure used across management system standards

These updates are intended to help organizations strengthen the effectiveness of their quality management systems while improving alignment with modern business practices.

What Organizations Should Do Now

Organizations currently certified to ISO 9001 should begin preparing for the transition by:

Conducting a GAP assessment against the new requirements.Reviewing existing quality management processes and documentation.Evaluating leadership responsibilities, quality culture initiatives, and risk and opportunity management practices.Training key personnel on the expected changes.Planning internal audits and implementation activities well ahead of certification body transition deadlines.

Industry experts generally encourage organizations to start planning early rather than waiting until the end of the transition period.

Omnex ISO 9001:2026 Transition Training

To help organizations understand and prepare for the upcoming revision, Omnex offers ISO 9001:2026 Transition Training, providing practical guidance for quality professionals, management teams, auditors, and implementation leaders. Participants who have already completed Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor training can efficiently upgrade their certification through this 1-day transition course, eliminating the need to repeat the full training.

Participants will learn:

1. Overview of the New Standard

Structure and intent of ISO 9001:2026Key themes and focus areasAlignment with other ISO management system standards

2. Understanding the Changes

Significant revisions compared to ISO 9001:2015New expectations regarding risk and opportunity managementUpdates related to leadership, quality culture, organizational knowledge, and change managementClimate change considerations and stakeholder expectations

3. What Organizations Need to Do

Conducting a GAP analysisUpdating processes and documented informationTraining employees and leadership teamsPreparing for internal and certification auditsBuilding an effective implementation roadmap

How Omnex Can Help Your Organization Transition to the ISO 9001:2026 Standard

Omnex supports organizations throughout the transition process through:

ISO 9001:2026 Transition TrainingExecutive awareness sessionsGAP analysis servicesQMS implementation and improvement consultingInternal auditor and lead auditor trainingIntegrated management system expertiseDigital quality and quality management solutions

With more than four decades of experience in consulting, training, and management systems, Omnex has helped organizations across industries improve operational performance and quality management capabilities worldwide.

Learn More

Organizations interested in preparing for ISO 9001:2026 can learn more about Omnex training and transition support services at:

Transitioning to ISO 9001:2026

About Omnex
Omnex is an international consulting, training, and software solutions organization specializing in quality, environmental, health and safety, and operational excellence systems. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Omnex supports organizations worldwide through training, consulting, auditing, and digital solutions.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iso-90012026-release-is-approaching-what-organizations-need-to-know-and-how-omnex-can-help-302870336.html

SOURCE Omnex

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CME Group Inc. Announces Third-Quarter 2026 Earnings Release, Conference Call

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CHICAGO, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CME Group Inc. will announce earnings for the third quarter of 2026 before the markets open on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Written highlights for the quarter will be posted on the company’s website at 6:00 a.m. Central Time, the same time it provides its earnings press release. The company will also hold an investor conference call that day at 7:30 a.m. Central Time, at which time company executives will take analysts’ questions.  

A live audio Webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the company’s website. Following the conference call, an archived recording will be available at the same site. Those wishing to listen to the live conference via telephone should dial 877-918-3040 if calling from within the United States, or +1 312-470-7282 if calling from outside the United States, at least 10 minutes before the call begins. The participant passcode for both telephone numbers is 1944793.

As the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest ratesequity indexesforeign exchangecryptocurrencies, energy, agricultural products and metals.  The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform.  In addition, it operates one of the world’s leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing. 

CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.  NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.  COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec is a trademark of BrokerTec Americas LLC and EBS is a trademark of EBS Group LTD. The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P DJI”). “S&P®”, “S&P 500®”, “SPY®”, “SPX®”, US 500 and The 500 are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones®, DJIA® and Dow Jones Industrial Average are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. These trademarks have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Futures contracts based on the S&P 500 Index are not sponsored, endorsed, marketed, or promoted by S&P DJI, and S&P DJI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

CME-G

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SOURCE CME Group

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ISO 14001:2026 Is Here: What Organizations Need to Know and How Omnex Can Help with the Transition

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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The release of ISO 14001:2026 marks an important milestone for organizations seeking to strengthen their Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and address evolving environmental, sustainability, and stakeholder expectations. The new standard was officially released on April 15, 2026, replacing ISO 14001:2015 and incorporating the climate change amendment issued in 2024. Organizations have until April 15, 2029, to complete their transition.

As organizations begin evaluating the impact of the revision, early planning and training can help ensure a smooth transition while also identifying opportunities to improve environmental performance and business resilience.

Key Themes in ISO 14001:2026

The revised standard includes several notable areas of focus, including:

Greater alignment with ISO’s Harmonized Structure to support integrated management systems.Climate change considerations incorporated directly into the standard.Expanded requirements around planning and managing change.Increased emphasis on environmental context, interested parties, and life cycle considerations.Additional guidance throughout the standard and a revised Annex A designed to improve understanding and implementation.

These updates are intended to help organizations integrate environmental management more effectively into business strategy and operational decision-making.

What Organizations Should Do Now

Organizations certified to ISO 14001:2015 should begin preparing for the transition by:

Conducting a GAP analysis of their current EMS against ISO 14001:2026 requirements.Reviewing environmental aspects, risks, opportunities, and life cycle considerations.Assessing how climate change may impact organizational context and stakeholder expectations.Updating procedures, processes, and documented information where needed.Training leadership, EMS professionals, and internal auditors on the new requirements.Planning internal audits and transition activities well ahead of certification deadlines.

Organizations that begin their transition early are often better positioned to manage resources, implement changes effectively, and avoid last-minute scheduling challenges.

Omnex ISO 14001:2026 Transition Training

To help environmental professionals, management teams, and auditors understand and prepare for the upcoming revision, Omnex offers ISO 14001:2026 Transition Training and related learning programs. This 1-day transition course enables currently certified Internal Auditors and Lead Auditors to upgrade their training certification to the new standard without retaking the full auditor training program.

1. Understand the New Standard

Participants gain an overview of:

The structure and intent of ISO 14001:2026The evolution of the standard from ISO 14001:2015Climate change considerations within environmental management systemsThe role of Annex A guidance in supporting implementation

2. Learn the Key Changes

Training covers:

New and revised requirements across major clausesPlanning of changes within the EMSExpanded life cycle considerationsUpdates related to interested parties and environmental contextInternal audit and management review changesClimate-related considerations and environmental performance expectations

3. Develop a Practical Transition Plan

Organizations learn how to:

Conduct an EMS gap analysisPrioritize implementation activitiesUpdate documentation and processesTrain relevant personnelPrepare for transition auditsIntegrate changes into existing management systems

How Omnex Can Help Your Organization Transition to the ISO 14001:2026 Standard

Omnex supports organizations through:

ISO 14001:2026 Transition TrainingUnderstanding Requirements CoursesInternal Auditor TrainingLead Auditor TrainingExecutive Overview WorkshopsGAP Analysis ServicesEMS Consulting and Implementation SupportIntegrated Management System Solutions

With more than 40 years of experience in management systems consulting and training, Omnex helps organizations navigate evolving standards while improving operational and environmental performance.

Learn More

Organizations interested in preparing for ISO 14001:2026 can learn more about Omnex environmental management training and transition support at:

Transitioning to ISO 14001:2026

About Omnex

Omnex is an international consulting, training, and software solutions organization specializing in quality, environmental, health and safety, cybersecurity, sustainability, and operational excellence systems. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Omnex has supported organizations worldwide since 1985 through consulting, training, audits, and digital solutions.  

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iso-140012026-is-here-what-organizations-need-to-know-and-how-omnex-can-help-with-the-transition-302870353.html

SOURCE Omnex

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