ST. LOUIS, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AD). Wise F&I is proud to announce that Amy Counts, Regional Vice President of Client Success, has been named the 2026 NAMAD Woman of the Year by the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD). The annual award recognizes outstanding female leadership, dedication, and impact within the automotive industry, honoring women who champion minority dealers, build meaningful industry relationships, and promote diversity and inclusion.

“I’m incredibly honored to receive this recognition from NAMAD. Throughout my career, I’ve had the honor of building relationships with many incredible industry leaders. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue supporting and advocating for the people who make this industry so special,” said Amy Counts.

Counts has built a distinguished career in the automotive industry spanning three decades. She began her career with The Reynolds and Reynolds Company in 1996, where she spent 17 years and earned numerous honors, including four inductions into the 300 Sales Club and recognition as Variable Operations Specialist of the Year for the Central Area Market in 2012. She also received the company’s Core Value Award and a NAMAD Appreciation Award in 2004.

In 2015, Counts joined Wise F&I, where she currently serves as Regional Vice President of Client Success. With over 10 years at Wise F&I, she has played an integral role in building strong relationships and supporting the success of dealers and industry partners.

“Amy’s impact reaches far beyond her role at Wise F&I,” said Matt Croak, President and CEO of Wise F&I. “She has spent her career investing in people, building meaningful relationships and creating opportunities for others to succeed. What makes this recognition so special is that it reflects the person Amy has always been, an exceptional leader, a dedicated advocate and someone who genuinely believes in giving back. We couldn’t be more proud to see her recognized for the impact she has made throughout her career.”

Beyond her professional career, Counts has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to education, leadership and community service. From 2017 to 2023, she served on the Missouri State University Board of Governors, becoming the first woman of color to serve as Board Chair in 2022. She continues her service to the university as a member of the Missouri State University Foundation Board of Trustees, where she serves on the Executive Committee. Her philanthropic efforts include the creation of the Amelia Counts Scholarship and an estate commitment establishing the Amelia Counts Chair in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.

Counts currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. and Great Southern Bank, a $5.7 billion financial institution headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. She began her service on the boards in January 2024, bringing her extensive leadership experience and industry perspective to the organization.

In addition, Counts is also a passionate advocate for women’s leadership and student success. She has been an active member of Bears WIN (Women’s Impact Network) since 2022 and will assume the role of Chair this year. In 2024, she served as Vice Chair of the Missouri State University Presidential Search Committee and was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Missouri State University Alumni Association.

Her commitment to community extends to the St. Louis area, where she has served for 17 years on the Board of St. Louis ArtWorks, supporting programs that provide diverse teens with life skills, confidence and paid creative work experience. She is also a member of FOCUS St. Louis, a network of civic leaders working to advance a thriving and equitable region.

Across her career and community service, Counts has consistently demonstrated the leadership, generosity and commitment to inclusion that the NAMAD Woman of the Year award represents.

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SOURCE Wise F&I

NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the fall season approaches, CASEKOO, the design-led lifestyle accessories brand trusted by over 17 million users worldwide, today debuts two striking new colorways for its Fall iPhone case collection: Gentle Blue and Cherry Lush. The launch celebrates CASEKOO’s own interpretation of the two most discussed new iPhone color directions by public while offering Apple fans a fresh way to express their style — whether they’re upgrading their device this year or giving an older device a vibrant new look.

A Nod to Fashion, Powered by Innovation

Gentle Blue pays homage to one of the most unforgettable color moments in Apple history — the timeless elegance of the beloved light blue iPhone color first introduced with iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. Cherry Lush, meanwhile, captures the bold, playful energy of the season — a dark cherry iPhone color that’s rich and expressive.

With CASEKOO’s MagicStand™ and ClipSafe™ technology, this Gentle Blue and Cherry Lush is reimagined for a new generation of iPhone users, blending soft understanding with rich expression. The two new hues reflect CASEKOO’s commitment to helping consumers stay ahead of the curve, offering on-trend colors that complement the latest phone color trends.

Two Finishes, Two Ways to Go Hands-Free

The new iPhone color directions are available across CASEKOO’s signature collections — the glossy Halo series and the matte Frost series — giving users the freedom to choose the finish that best fits their personal aesthetic. Both series are engineered for the way people actually live. Drop protection is military‑grade, with SGS‑certified airbag structures built into the four corners to withstand 8‑foot drops from 26 different angles. Yet the most effective protection is prevention — and that’s precisely what StandKOO and LinKOO deliver.

For users who want a hands‑free iPhone case with a built‑in stand, StandKOO integrates CASEKOO’s MagicStand™, providing stable portrait and landscape viewing for video calls, streaming, reading, and everyday desk use. By keeping your phone securely propped on flat surfaces or firmly in your grip, it reduces accidental slips before they happen. For users looking for a crossbody or wrist‑strap iPhone case, LinKOO features CASEKOO’s patented ClipSafe™ system — a foldable built‑in attachment point designed for lanyards, wrist straps, and compatible accessories. It folds flat when not in use, helping keep the case slim, while the included strap keeps your phone tethered to you — so even if it slips from your hand, it never hits the ground. Together, StandKOO and LinKOO form a hands‑free system built on prevention — keeping your iPhone safe before a drop ever happens, from life in motion to moments of focus.

A Lifestyle, Bold and Expressive

For CASEKOO, a phone case has never been just an accessory. It’s a lifestyle — bold, expressive, playful, and proud. The new Gentle Blue and Cherry Lush colorways embody that spirit, inviting users to make a statement without saying a word.

As the brand steps into its second decade, CASEKOO invites consumers to witness its continued growth — a journey built on deep heart, GRS-certified craftsmanship that helps the planet grow greener from the very beginning, obsessive attention to “invisible details,” advanced anti-yellowing technology that keeps the case back crystal clear over time — so your iPhone’s original colors always shine through, turning your device into a genuine canvas for your personal identity and lifestyle, and an unwavering belief that technology should support life, not interrupt it.

About CASEKOO

CASEKOO is a design-led lifestyle accessories brand built around a simple idea: freeing your hands in everyday life. Guided by the philosophy of “Less Effort, More Living,” the company has sold more than 20 million phone cases across 32 countries, building a global community of over 17 million users. From its breakthrough StandKOO MagicStand™ to the revolutionary LinKOO ClipSafe™ system, CASEKOO continues to redefine what a phone case can be — not just protection, but liberation.

Which CASEKOO case is better for an understated look? The new Gentle Blue and Cherry Lush colorways are available now at CASEKOO’s official channels here.

Media Contact:

Charlotte Yu
brandteam@casekoo.com

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SOURCE CASEKOO

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SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 28, 2026 /CNW/ — Canada and Chile share a long-standing strategic partnership built on shared democratic values, strong economic ties and a commitment to sustainable growth and innovation. Canada is the largest foreign investor in Chile, reflecting the close economic relationship between our two countries. As leading mining nations, Canada and Chile are working together to advance responsible resource development, strengthen critical mineral supply chains and create new opportunities for trade and investment.

This week, Claude Guay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, represented Canada at the Conference of Mining Ministries of the Americas (CAMMA) in Santiago, Chile. Parliamentary Secretary Guay advanced commercial opportunities for Canadian mining companies and reinforced Canada’s position as a reliable partner of choice when it comes to secure and sustainable minerals and a globally competitive destination for investment.

Parliamentary Secretary Guay met with senior Chilean officials, including the Minister of Economy and Mining and vice-ministers responsible for mining, energy and foreign affairs. He also held bilateral meetings with counterparts from Argentina and Mexico. Discussions focused on catalyzing bilateral investment, promoting Canadian products and industry, supporting mining sector innovation and expanding collaboration across the Americas on responsible mining and critical minerals.

He also met with industry leaders, including from Codelco, Antofagasta Minerals, CORFO, Teck and MineSense, and participated in roundtables with Canadian and Chilean companies and mining services operating in Chile to discuss investment and market opportunities.

Parliamentary Secretary Guay also participated in the announcement of initiatives and commercial partnerships that reflect the growing economic ties between Canada and Chile, including:

An agreement between Codelco, Chile’s state-owned copper producer, and Canadian company MacLean Engineering to accelerate innovative technologies for underground mining operations that will strengthen worker safety and contribute to more efficient and sustainable underground mining.The five-year collaboration will focus on three key areas: trench scaling, tunnel development and the deployment of service infrastructure.The agreement will support the testing and implementation of solutions tailored to the operational and safety requirements of El Teniente, one of the world’s largest underground copper mines.Canada’s support, through the G7 Minerals Skills Network, for critical minerals capacity-building across Latin America and the Caribbean, including:a hybrid training program, with an in-person component in Santiago, Chile, to strengthen public-sector capacities for critical minerals development; anda seminar on Financial and Economic Planning for Sustainable Critical Mineral Projects, to be held in Santiago in late 2026.The first Canada–Chile Eureka project, a contribution of up to $450,000 in research and development funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to Cheetah Networks, an Ottawa-based company specializing in network analytics and Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity solutions to support collaboration with Chilean partners. This project, in collaboration with Chile’s development agency, CORFO, will develop sustainable, resilient and energy-efficient solutions to improve connectivity, productivity and safety for critical infrastructure and mining operations. An announcement that, in October 2026, NRC IRAP, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), will lead the Canadian Cleantech in Mining Mission to Chile of 12 innovative Canadian companies. This mission will help them enter the Chilean market, strengthen their commercial readiness and accelerate the deployment of scalable, cost-effective solutions to address key challenges in the Chilean mining sector, including water management, decarbonization, energy efficiency and environmental performance.

Parliamentary Secretary Guay also highlighted progress being made under the Canada–Chile Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Critical Minerals and the Sustainable Development of Minerals and Metals, including initiatives that support innovation, skills development and commercial partnerships. Since 2024, the MOU has been instrumental in connecting Canadian companies and technologies with opportunities in one of the world’s leading mining jurisdictions while supporting sustainable economic growth and competitiveness in both countries. Notable achievements to date include the launch of the first bilateral Canada–Chile Eureka Network call for applied research and development projects and capacity-building initiatives delivered through the G7 Minerals Skills Network, the University of British Columbia’s Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining (BRIMM) and the international Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

The Parliamentary Secretary’s participation at the conference and his meetings with government officials and industry leaders reinforced Canada’s role as a reliable global partner and opened opportunities for further collaboration between Canada and Chile. By advancing co-operation with Chile and countries across the Americas, Canada is diversifying our international partners, identifying reliable markets for our minerals and businesses, strengthening critical minerals supply chains and supporting long-term economic prosperity and security for Canadians.

Quote

“In a time of uncertainty and changing trade and economic relationships worldwide, Canada is expanding and strengthening our network around the world. These efforts ensure we have the minerals our economies need, diversify and secure our trade and create opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses. Canada and Chile share a strong and long-standing partnership built on investment, responsible resource development, innovation and shared economic interests. This trip reinforced for our Chilean partners that Canada is a partner of choice for investment, business and collaboration.”

Claude Guay
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

Quick Facts

Chile is a key partner for Canada and a leading global mining jurisdiction, with significant production of critical minerals, including copper and lithium. Canada is the largest foreign investor in Chile’s mining sector, with approximately C$43.5 billion in assets in 2024 held by about 52 companies, and Chile is the second-largest destination for Canadian mining assets abroad.The strong bilateral relationship is underpinned by the Canada–Chile Free Trade Agreement and the 2024 Canada–Chile Memorandum of Understanding on Critical Minerals and the Sustainable Development of Minerals and Metals, which advances co-operation on critical mineral value chains, innovation, investment and responsible mining. Together, Canada and Chile are working to strengthen secure and sustainable mineral supply chains that support the global energy transition.On the margins of the CAMMA, Parliamentary Secretary Claude Guay met with several Chilean officials, including:Daniel Mas, Chile’s Minister of Economy and Mining, and Alvaro Gonzalez Gorroño, Undersecretary of Mining, to advance Canada–Chile co-operation on critical minerals and sustainable mining under the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding; Hugo Briones, Undersecretary of Energy, to discuss energy co-operation and opportunities for Canadian clean energy and nuclear technology expertise; andPaula Estévez, Undersecretary of International Economic Relations, to discuss critical minerals supply chain resilience and broader Canada–Chile co-operation.

Associated Links

Canada–Chile relationsOur critical minerals strategic partnershipsGlobal Partnerships InitiativeFederal Investments Support B.C. Talent and Labour Development for Critical Minerals and Sustainable Supply Chains

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