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AlphaGraphics Honors Top-Performing Franchisees at 56th Annual Conference

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Event featured development sessions focused on growth, customer retention and performance

DENVER, Aug. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AlphaGraphics, a leading franchisor of printing and marketing solutions, recently hosted its 56th annual conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee to honor outstanding franchise owners.

“Our annual conference is an opportunity to acknowledge our hardworking franchisees and give them the credit they deserve for another wonderful year,” said AlphaGraphics Regional Vice President of Retail Network Development Bill McPherson. “As we look toward 2027, this gives us a chance to reflect on our successes while also networking and discussing new processes that will only accelerate our growth moving forward.”

Several awards were given out to AlphaGraphics’ franchise owners at this year’s conference, including:

Franny: T.J. and Jennifer Kerbs, West Palm Beach, FloridaSouth Region Center of the Year: Craig and Kristy Girard, Plano, TexasSoutheast Region Center of the Year: Mike Marlow, Cornelius, North CarolinaGreat Lakes Region Center of the Year: Diana Khutsishvili and Ahsan Irshad, Brentwood, TennesseeWest Region Center of the Year: Mike Sparaco and Darin Osborne, Tempe, ArizonaMidwest Region Center of the Year: Brian Johnson, West Valley City, UtahNortheast Region Center of the Year: Matt Mantyla, Hartford, ConnecticutCommunity Impact: AlphaGraphics CincinnatiTop Sales for a Franchisee with a Single Center: Chuck Stempler, Seattle, Washington

In addition to announcing the awards, franchisees had the opportunity to attend several breakout sessions to assist in their overall development and leadership. Topics included multi-center growth and acquisition, turning first-time buyers into repeat customers, driving revenue through key accounts, and many more.

AlphaGraphics was founded in 1970, and the company began offering franchise opportunities in 1979. For more information, visit alphagraphicsfranchise.com.

About AlphaGraphics

AlphaGraphics, Inc., with more than 285 locations in six countries, is one of the largest U.S.-based networks of locally owned and operated Business Centers offering a complete range of print, visual communications, and marketing products. Solutions include full-service digital, offset, and large format printing; design services; mailing; one-to-one marketing solutions; promotional products; and web to print solutions. For more information about AlphaGraphics services, visit alphagraphics.com. To learn about franchise opportunities, visit alphagraphicsfranchise.com. 

About Fortidia
Fortidia is the brand identity of MBE Worldwide S.p.A. – a company headquartered in Italy – and its affiliates. Fortidia is a global commerce enabler for MSMEs and consumers thanks to its platform including brands providing shipping, fulfillment, logistics, marketing and print solutions: Mail Boxes Etc. (outside the U.S. and Canada), World Options, PACK & SEND, PostNet, ParcelValue, Spedingo, GEL Proximity, AlphaGraphics, Kwik Kopy Australia, Multicopy, and Print Speak. In 2024, its platform – including 3,200+ Business Solutions Centers in 57 countries with over 14,000 associates – served 850,000 business customers worldwide generating €1.45 bln (US$1.65 bln) of System-wide Gross Revenue.

For more information, visit the Fortidia Group websites:

fortidia.com – mbeglobal.com – mbe.it – mbe.es – mbe.de – mbefrance.fr – mbe.pl – mbe.pt – mbe.co.uk – worldoptions.com – packsend.com.au – packsend.co.uk – postnet.com – parcelvalue.eu – spedingo.com/en – gelproximity.com/en – alphagraphics.com – kwikkopy.com.au – multicopy.nl – printspeak.com –

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SOURCE AlphaGraphics

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TIMEX DECLARES TODAY ANALOG LIFE DAY

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A National Invitation to Get Off the Clock and Into Life

An unexpected opening in your calendar? Don’t fill it. Live it.

SHELTON, Conn., Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Timex, the Official Timekeeper of Analog Life, is declaring today, Friday, November 13, Analog Life Day, and giving everyone a reason to do something increasingly refreshing: spend time actually living it. 

In a world that never stops scrolling, refreshing or asking for more of our attention, Timex is inviting people to take some of it back.

Take the long lunch. Call the friend you keep meaning to see. Leave your headphones behind. Wander somewhere without a plan. Say yes to something spontaneous. Make a memory that doesn’t need to be posted to count.  No productivity hacks. No screen time challenge. No perfectly planned itinerary.  Just a reminder that the best moments in life rarely happen between notifications. 

For more than 170 years, Timex has helped people keep time. Today, we’re reminding everyone what it’s for.

No registration. No download. No algorithm.

Just one day. Your time. Your way.

Make Time Yours.

Civic PR for Timex – timex@civic-us.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/timex-declares-today-analog-life-day-302939026.html

SOURCE Timex

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BAE Systems selected as a mission-enabling space technologies partner for NASA PRIMA astrophysics program

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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory mission to survey the history and evolution of the universe and bridge current scientific gaps

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BAE Systems (LON: BA) announced today that its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-led PRIMA (PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics) team has been selected by NASA for the next phase of development in NASA’s new class of “Probe Explorers” astrophysics missions.   

BAE Systems will provide its Evolve+ spacecraft bus for the mission, lead the observatory assembly, integration and test process, and serve as the operations and ground lead for NASA’s JPL, the manager of the mission.   

“We are excited to continue our decades-long partnership with JPL through the PRIMA mission that will enable NASA to make significant discoveries on the history of the universe,” said Bonnie Patterson, vice president and general manager of civil space for BAE Systems. “The PRIMA mission will also help fill observation gaps with other NASA astrophysics missions, including the James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories, also supported by BAE Systems.”  

NASA’s PRIMA mission will use a highly sensitive, far-infrared space telescope that is designed to see parts of the universe that are hidden by dust. Using a 1.8-meter diameter telescope, it will observe the cosmos in far-infrared light, bridging the critical observation gap between the James Webb Space Telescope and ground-based radio observatories.

The mission will help scientists learn how stars, planets, galaxies and even water formed over time. It will reveal how these cosmic structures grow and change, providing a clearer picture of how our universe developed and evolved from its formation to the present.  

The PRIMA mission is currently advancing through Phase B development and is targeted for launch in 2033 for a five-year mission. Following a NASA confirmation review, the project will move toward full implementation.

BAE Systems will join numerous international space industry providers to support the PRIMA mission, including those from France, Italy, Canada, South Korea, Japan and the UK.

Through the PRIMA mission, BAE Systems continues its longstanding support of NASA’s astrophysics programs. This includes work on the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, among others.

For more information, please contact: 

Brian Rantala, BAE Systems 
Mobile: 720-995-8253 
brian.rantala@baesystems.us 

www.baesystems.com/en-us   
@BAESystemsInc  

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SOURCE BAE Systems, Inc.

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Why a Pocket Projector Could Be the Right Gift for Gamers and Sewists: Aurzen ZIP Pro

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IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The friend who hosts game night and the maker who dreads taping sewing patterns together might appreciate the same unexpected gift: a pocket projector. Aurzen ZIP Pro, a CES Innovation Awards 2027 Honoree, brings shared fun and sewing pattern projection together in one foldable projector.

Unlike a fixed TV, ZIP Pro is a gaming projector that moves with the gathering. Its larger shared image brings everyone into the adventure, whether you’re sharing maps during tabletop RPG sessions or cruising through neon-lit city streets in the upcoming AAA open-world titles. Direct USB-C support for Nintendo Switch makes it a convenient dock-free projector, letting friends play together instead of crowding around a handheld screen. Wired Game Mode offers 20–40ms response times for casual co-op and party games.

Beyond game nights, ZIP Pro brings the same flexibility to your sewing table. As a sewing projector, it lets you skip printing, taping and storing paper patterns, leaving more time for working with fabric. Native 1080p DLP and ToF autofocus help keep fine outlines clear, while adjustable support and four-point correction help align the image with your cutting surface. With less setup between an idea and the first cut, this compact sewing pattern projector helps you turn your ideas into a finished piece with greater confidence.

The ZIP Pro Basquiat Special Edition Bundle pairs the same hardware with artwork from the Basquiat estate. It includes the projector, two custom art shells, a custom GoPlay portable case and a mounting suite with MagPlay Pro and Z-Stand in a special-edition gift box. The interchangeable shells offer two different looks, making it a personal choice for Basquiat fans.

During the promotion from Nov.19-30, ZIP Pro is $579.99 (regularly $629.99); ZIP Pro Basquiat Special Edition Bundle is $649.99 (regularly $679.99). Buyers can choose a complimentary GoPlay Carry Bag or Z-Stand, limited to 50 gifts in total, first-come, first-served. A sitewide prize draw offers shoppers a chance to get their order for free.

About Aurzen

Aurzen is a global innovator in smart projection technology. By combining advanced optical engineering with intuitive software and user-focused design, Aurzen delivers products that bring big-screen experiences to any space. The company pioneered the world’s first Tri-Fold Truly Portable Projector, ZIP, and its designs have been recognized with multiple international awards, including the iF Design Award, Red Dot Award, G-Mark Award, and IDEA Award. For more information, visit www.aurzen.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/why-a-pocket-projector-could-be-the-right-gift-for-gamers-and-sewists-aurzen-zip-pro-302938816.html

SOURCE Aurzen

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