Technology

Marquis Who’s Who Honors Michael J. Lawless for Expertise in Digital Growth

Published

2 hours ago

June 25, 2026

UNIONDALE, N.Y., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Marquis Who’s Who honors Michael J. Lawless for his work as a partner and managing director at Alvarez & Marsal. With more than 30 years of experience in consulting, business strategy and digital transformation, Mr. Lawless helps organizations across industries discover new revenue streams through technology.

Data-Driven Business Solutions

Mr. Lawless leads as senior director at A&Mplify, Alvarez & Marsal’s Washington-based digital agency. In his position, he focuses on helping businesses strengthen revenue growth, improve customer engagement and create new value through data-driven solutions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a primary driver in consulting and business strategy. As a result, AI is the power behind A&Mplify. “I’m focused on growth and revenue, so I view AI and agentic approaches as more than tools for immediate cost savings, like replacing people with bots that cut expenses. I see them as a whole new set of capabilities,” Mr. Lawless says. The technology enables companies to expand options and pursue growth opportunities during economic uncertainty.

Moreover, Mr. Lawless views AI as a productivity multiplier that helps teams test and execute ideas more efficiently. “AI significantly shortens processes and allows your existing team to be more productive,” he says. “That’s how you extract value from AI.”

A Career Spanning Across Industries

Before joining Alvarez & Marsal in 2021, Mr. Lawless spent more than a decade working for Accenture. There, he served as managing director and design lead at Accenture Interactive and later as managing director of the digital studio at Accenture Federal Services. He began his career at Coca-Cola North America in 1989 and later worked in leadership positions at AOL and SunEdison.

Across these roles, Mr. Lawless guided teams in launching new products and services, managing profit and loss responsibilities and designing customer-focused strategies. His career includes significant work with consumer analytics, large-scale solution design and marketing strategy.

Strategic Partnership Development

Mr. Lawless is currently advancing a collaboration with an SI (Systems Integrator). The aim is to build growth strategies and revenue opportunities for client organizations. The partnership pairs his team’s expertise in business case development with the integrator’s technical capabilities in custom software development and technology implementation.

Rising interest rates, higher capital costs and shifting policies create challenges and opportunities during market volatility. Financially stable companies can benefit by making smart investments. Mr. Lawless explores how commercial, nonprofit and government organizations manage disruption and adapt to these changing circumstances. “All of this ties into my focus on generating new revenue streams and navigating growth amid these challenges,” he says.

Advanced Business Expertise

Mr. Lawless earned a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration in marketing and international business from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Pi Theta honor societies.

Among his professional highlights, Mr. Lawless cites his work with the U.S. Marshals Service. In that capacity, he helped develop large-scale frameworks to support the agency’s operations. He also created systems to improve consumer analytics. This development enabled organizations to better understand customer behavior and strengthen their decision-making.

Mentorship, Volunteer Work and Client Outcomes

Outside of his professional commitments, Mr. Lawless served as a board member and mentor for the Cappies of the National Capital Area for more than 10 years. It’s an initiative that supports young people in the arts. He also volunteered for Odyssey of the Mind for nearly a decade by encouraging creative problem-solving among students. In his personal life, he’s the father of two children.

In the next five years, Mr. Lawless intends to expand the potential of A&Mplify. His vision is to combine corporate restructuring and growth strategies to help clients position themselves for success during economic instability. By identifying stable organizations ready to invest, he seeks to drive measurable outcomes that create lasting business value.

About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

Marquis Who’s Who
Uniondale, NY
(844) 394 – 6946
info@marquiswhoswho.com
www.marquiswhoswho.com

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Technology

ITC Validates Again Voltage Energy’s Right to Supply Trunk Bus Solutions to U.S. Market

Published

34 minutes ago

June 25, 2026

Voltage Energy to Continue Serving Domestic Customers with Next-Generation Trunk Bus Solutions

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Voltage Energy Group (“Voltage Energy”), a leading solar and clean energy solutions provider founded in North Carolina, today announced that the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) has issued a final determination confirming that its next-generation trunk bus solutions (“LYNX PLUS”) do not infringe the patents of Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. (“Shoals”) asserted in its second ITC case against Voltage Energy.

This critical ruling allows Voltage Energy to continue serving domestic customers, including solar developers and EPCs, by ensuring uninterrupted access to its trunk bus solutions for projects nationwide. It also rejects Shoals’ efforts to exclude Voltage Energy’s trunk bus solutions from the market and stifle competition.

“Today’s decision is a victory for Voltage Energy and reinforces fair competition and reliable access to innovative energy solutions for the domestic solar industry and its customers,” said Li Wang, CEO of Voltage Energy. “Voltage Energy independently developed its trunk bus solutions and will continue to innovate. The solar industry depends on open and fair competition, not efforts to eliminate competitors through litigation and unfair business practices.”

This latest ruling follows a series of favorable outcomes for Voltage Energy in related proceedings. Last January, the ITC found no violation and terminated Shoals’ first ITC investigation, which Shoals had initiated in May 2023 and in which it wrongly accused Voltage Energy’s products of infringing three patents. During that first ITC case, Shoals sought new patents, which were issued in June 2024 and were later asserted in Shoals’ second ITC case and district court complaint against Voltage Energy in January 2025.

Following a recent bench trial, the district court found that Shoals violated an agreement prohibiting its ITC counsel’s involvement in obtaining those new patents.

Voltage Energy appreciates the court’s validation of those concerns, as well as the Court’s recognition that Shoals should not unfairly benefit from that violation, which accelerated Shoals obtaining those patents. Voltage Energy stands behind its trunk bus solutions, which were independently developed before Shoals obtained the asserted patents, and will continue to defend its innovations, including its latest LYNX PLUS solution, which the ITC confirmed does not infringe the 375/376 patents.

While related legal matters remain ongoing, Voltage Energy respects valid intellectual property rights and remains committed to competing with integrity, investing in innovation, and delivering dependable, forward-looking solutions to customers.

About Voltage Energy Group

Founded in 2016, Voltage Energy Group (“Voltage Energy”) is a leading global provider of electrical balance of systems (EBOS) solutions for utility-scale solar projects, with global headquarters in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Voltage Energy delivers innovative, value-engineered technologies and services that improve installation efficiency, enhance safety, and optimize long-term system performance.

We are a group of innovative people who sincerely care about the renewable industry. Learn more at the company’s new website, www.voltageenergy.com.

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SOURCE Voltage Energy Group

Technology

Validar, Leader in Event-Technology Sector, Secures Debt-Funding Package from Decathlon Capital Partners

Published

34 minutes ago

June 25, 2026

Seattle-based company to expand platform, boost customer-support and sales initiatives

SEATTLE, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Validar, an innovative provider of event-technology solutions, will launch a significant expansion program after it reached agreement with Decathlon Capital Partners on a growth-funding investment. Validar is headquartered at Seattle.

The venture-debt funding will support expanded features on the Validar platform as well as expanded customer-support and sales-and-marketing initiatives. Financial details of the venture-debt transaction were not disclosed.

Victor Kippes, Founder and CEO of Validar, said the company has worked more than two decades to help marketers of B2B events better understand and articulate their value. At more than 1,000 events around the world, Validar products have enhanced ticketing and registration, provided real-time feedback on the effectiveness of content, and driven leads from the show floor into sales initiatives.

“This important growth-financing package is custom designed to meet the needs of our fast-growing company,” Kippes said. “It provides flexible amortization, doesn’t require any dilution of existing shareholders and doesn’t involve any changes in management control or governance.”

Validar will face no cost for undrawn capital in the transaction, which includes possible additional steps to support Validar’s growth beyond the current investment.

John Borchers, Managing Director of Decathlon Capital Partners, said Validar’s products provide high-value data to organizers of B2B events, allowing them to understand the ROI on the millions of dollars they spend to attract attendees to their events.

“Validar has worked closely with the B2B events industry since 2005. Victor Kippes and his team understand the requirements of event marketers, and they continue to develop technology solutions to meet the needs of their clients worldwide,” Borchers said. “Decathlon Capital Partners is pleased to support the continued growth of Validar.”

About Validar
Validar provides innovative event technology solutions that empower organizers to create engaging, efficient, and data-driven experiences. With a focus on streamlining registration, check-in, tracking attendee behavior, engagement tools, and event analytics, Validar serves a wide range of industries to enhance attendee satisfaction and measure event performance. Learn more at www.validar.com.

About Decathlon Capital Partners
Decathlon Capital Partners provides growth capital for companies seeking alternatives to traditional equity investment. Through the use of highly customized growth-debt financing solutions, Decathlon provides long-term growth capital without the dilution, loss of control and operational overhead that often comes with equity-based funding. With offices in Palo Alto and Park City, Decathlon is active across a wide range of sectors. Learn more at www.decathloncapital.com.

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SOURCE Validar

Technology

PLS Logistics Services Acquires The AGL Group

Published

34 minutes ago

June 25, 2026

Acquisition expands PLS Logistics non-asset-based Service Portfolio

CRANBERRY, Pa., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PLS Logistics Services (PLS), a leading third-party logistics provider, today announced the acquisition of The AGL Group, an international freight forwarder and supply chain company based in Weymouth, Massachusetts. The acquisition of AGL enhances PLS’s market position, diversifies its customer base, and expands its product portfolio.

For customers, PLS now offers international forwarding services, including drayage, ocean and customs brokerage, along with its world class domestic freight solutions, including truckload, LTL, TMS, and managed services.

Commenting on the acquisition, PLS Chairman and CEO Greg Burns remarked “The acquisition of the AGL Group brings a proven and reliable international service provider with strong presence in ocean and customs brokerage to the PLS client base. I’m excited that the AGL management team lead by CEO Steve Zambo will be joining the PLS family.”

Added Steve Zambo, CEO of the AGL Group, “The team at AGL is looking forward to further growth opportunities as part of a Billion dollar organization. PLS Logistics is known throughout the industry for its advance supply chain solutions, scaled operations, and outstanding market reputation. The combination will create new opportunities for AGL clients and employees alike.”

The AGL Group will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of PLS Logistics, with Steve Zambo remaining CEO and reporting to PLS President Steven Bergan.

PLS President Steven Bergan commented; “The entire PLS Leadership team has been impressed with the customer and employee centric culture that Steve Zambo has built and we see this as an excellent culture fit with PLS. I look forward to working closely with Steve and his team to further growth opportunities ahead.”

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

ABOUT PLS LOGISTICS SERVICES
PLS Logistics Services is a leading third-party logistics provider specializing in managed transportation and end-to-end supply chain solutions across North America and beyond. Powered by people, process, and proprietary technology, PLS delivers Visibility, Capacity, and Confidence to businesses that depend on their supply chains to perform. For more information, visit www.plslogistics.com.

ABOUT THE AGL GROUP
The AGL Group is a full-service logistics company with more than 40 years of experience in domestic, import, and export freight solutions. With a team of 76 specialists and a global partner network of 600+ providers, AGL delivers comprehensive freight solutions built around one guiding principle: making lives easier. For more information, visit www.theaglgroup.com

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SOURCE PLS Logistics Services