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Granite Again Ranked Among Massachusetts’ Top Charitable Companies

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Boston Business Journal also names Granite CEO Rob Hale its 2026 CEO Social Leadership Award honoree

QUINCY, Mass., Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Granite Telecommunications, one of North America’s largest providers of communications and technology solutions to businesses and government agencies, today announced it has again been recognized among Massachusetts’ top corporate philanthropists by the Boston Business Journal (BBJ), ranking No. 3 on the publication’s 2026 Top Charitable Contributors List.

The recognition marks Granite’s 18th consecutive year on the BBJ list and its 10th straight year among the top three charitable contributors in Massachusetts. The annual ranking honors companies that reported at least $100,000 in cash contributions to Massachusetts-based charities during the prior calendar year.

The BBJ also named Granite CEO Rob Hale as its 2026 CEO Social Leadership Award honoree. The annual award recognizes a Greater Boston executive who demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to giving back to the community.

“This recognition belongs to our teammates, who bring Granite’s culture of giving to life with their time, generosity and heart, and to the nonprofit leaders doing the hard work every day,” said Hale. “I’m grateful that the BBJ is recognizing Granite’s collective impact, and I’m deeply humbled by the personal honor. More importantly, this recognition shines a light on the nonprofit partners whose tireless work improves countless lives and strengthens our communities.”

Granite’s Corporate Giving and Volunteerism
In 2025, Granite contributed more than $30 million in cash and in-kind donations to charitable organizations in Massachusetts and more than $30.2 million nationwide.

Granite supports causes including medical research and care, housing insecurity, education, food access and veterans’ services. Granite also gives teammates opportunities to support the communities where they live and work through Granite Gives Back, paid volunteer time, employee-led service projects and companywide fundraising efforts.

Granite’s signature Saving by Shaving fundraiser has brought together employees, family members, customers and supporters over the past 13 years. By shaving their heads, donating their hair and contributing to the campaign, participants have helped raise $62.7 million to support lifesaving medical research and patient care, benefiting Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the event’s early years and Boston Children’s Hospital since 2019.

Rob Hale Honored for Social Leadership
The BBJ’s CEO Social Leadership Award recognizes Hale’s commitment to philanthropy and the example he has set for other business leaders. Hale and his wife, Karen, support nonprofit organizations working in health care, education, cancer research, youth development and social services.

In 2025, the Hales donated $110.9 million, including a $100 million gift to Boston Children’s Hospital, the largest gift in the hospital’s history. The gift will help transform pediatric behavioral health care by expanding treatment, research, clinical training and community support.

The Hales have become known for transformational philanthropic investments that strengthen organizations for the long term. In 2022, they committed $1 million per week for 52 weeks to support grassroots nonprofits, with many of the gifts establishing endowments to help sustain their missions for years to come. More recently, after completing his first Boston Marathon, Hale donated $26.2 million to 72 local charities, extending the spirit of the race into a region-wide investment in community organizations.

Granite and Hale were honored at the BBJ’s 21st annual Corporate Citizenship Awards on Sept. 16 at Big Night Live in Boston. The BBJ also featured Hale in a special profile highlighting his commitment to philanthropy and community impact.

To learn more about Granite’s philanthropic initiatives, visit granitenet.com/granite-gives-back.

About Granite
Granite delivers advanced communications and technology solutions to businesses and government agencies throughout the United States and Canada. The company serves more than two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies and has 1.75 million voice and data lines under management, supporting more than 650,000 locations. Founded in 2002, Granite has grown to be one of the largest competitive telecommunications carriers in the U.S. by simplifying sourcing and management of voice, data and cellular service with a single point of contact and consolidated invoicing for all locations nationwide. Today, Granite supports customers with a wide range of services, including access, UCaaS, mobile voice and data, and MSP solutions for SD-WAN, monitoring and network management. Granite employs more than 2,220 people at its headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts, and 10 regional offices nationwide. For more information, visit www.granitenet.com.

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SOURCE Granite Telecommunications, LLC

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H.I.G. Capital Signs Definitive Agreement to Sell General Datatech

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”), a leading global alternative investment firm with $75 billion of capital under management, is pleased to announce that one of its affiliates has signed a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio company, General Datatech (“GDT” or the “Company”), a leading global provider of IT solutions and services, to an affiliate of Softcat plc (LSE: SCT) (“Softcat”) for an enterprise value of $1.05 billion. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, GDT is a leading global IT solutions provider delivering secure, enterprise-grade, AI-ready infrastructure and services to customers across a wide range of end markets. Founded in 1996, the Company takes a services and architecture led approach to delivering comprehensive solutions across its networking, hybrid cloud and data center, cybersecurity, and collaboration practices.

Since H.I.G.’s investment in GDT in 2021, the Company has undergone a significant transformation, strengthening its leadership team, refining its services and solutions capabilities, and establishing a global delivery platform by launching its Bangalore center of excellence. The Company also invested significantly in AI and cybersecurity capabilities, further positioning GDT as a differentiated technology partner to large and complex enterprise customers. During H.I.G.’s ownership, the Company has doubled EBITDA while expanding in high-growth sectors and increasing its mix of recurring gross profit.

Shawn O’Grady, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of GDT, commented, “H.I.G. has been an outstanding partner to GDT and has supported our team as we invested in our people, practices, and client and partner relationships. Together, we have diversified the business, brought tremendous value to our customers, and positioned GDT to capitalize on the significant opportunities created by continued enterprise IT modernization. We are proud of what we have accomplished and excited to begin our next chapter with Softcat.”

Aaron Tolson and Kevin Van Culin, Managing Directors at H.I.G., commented, “Shawn and the GDT management team have done a phenomenal job transforming the Company into a leading IT solutions provider. The strategic investments during our ownership into high-growth areas such as hybrid cloud, AI, and cybersecurity have driven exceptional growth. We look forward to following the team’s continued success.”

Guggenheim Securities, LLC and Moelis & Company LLC served as financial advisors, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to H.I.G. and GDT in connection with the transaction.

About General Datatech

GDT is a global IT solutions provider that delivers secure, enterprise-grade, AI-ready infrastructure and services to customers across a wide range of end markets. With a 30-year heritage and a people-first approach, GDT helps organizations modernize and scale their IT environments to support innovation, resilience, and growth. The Company provides services-led solutions across its networking, hybrid cloud and data center, cybersecurity, and collaboration practices. For more information, visit gdt.com.

About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. is a leading global alternative investment firm with $75 billion of capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Stamford in the United States, as well as international affiliate offices in Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai, and Hong Kong, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle market companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach:

H.I.G.’s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations, and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.H.I.G.’s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche, and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets.H.I.G.’s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices.H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector.

Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. The Firm’s current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $53 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at hig.com.

*Based on total capital raised by H.I.G. Capital and its affiliates.

Contact:
Aaron Tolson
Managing Director
atolson@hig.com

Kevin Van Culin
Managing Director
kvanculin@hig.com

H.I.G. Capital
One Sansome Street
37th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
P: 415.439.5500
hig.com

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SOURCE H.I.G. Capital

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Accely Appoints Murali Kurra as Chief Revenue Officer for the Middle East

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DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Accely, a global SAP Gold Partner and enterprise transformation company, has appointed Murali Kurra as Chief Revenue Officer for the Middle East. He will lead sales across the region and own Accely’s revenue strategy, covering existing account growth, renewals and new market entry.

Murali has spent more than twenty years in enterprise applications and the SAP ecosystem, in senior sales and leadership roles at IBM, DXC Technology, Fujitsu, Bristlecone, Zensar Technologies and Edraky. He has led large, complex pursuits and built long-running customer relationships in life sciences, manufacturing, retail and distribution, construction and real estate, and public sector.

His appointment comes as organisations across the Gulf modernizing through AI-led digital transformation against fixed timelines set by national transformation agendas and regulatory mandates. Those programmes leave little room for partners who disappear after signature.

“Murali has sat across the table from enterprise buyers for two decades, and he knows what separates the deals that deliver from the ones that stall,” said Nilesh Shah, CEO, Accely Group. “The Middle East is a priority growth region for us and it needs that judgement in the sales leadership seat.”

“Customers in this region are not short of technology options. What they want is a partner who stays through the hard part of a programme, not just the sale,” said Murali Kurra, Chief Revenue Officer, Middle East, Accely. “Accely has the delivery depth to make that a credible promise. That is what I intend to build the regional business on.”

That depth includes Eerly, Accely’s own AI-driven product suite, and its Eerly Studio platform across Consultant, Insights, and Engagement.

Murali will work with Accely’s global leadership and regional delivery teams across SAP S/4HANA, SAP Business Technology Platform, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Customer Experience, analytics, artificial intelligence, automation and SAP application services. The Middle East remains one of Accely’s core markets, served by regional teams with local delivery capability.

About Accely

Accely is a global SAP Gold Partner and CMMI Level 5 firm delivering autonomous enterprise transformation services. With 26+ years of expertise across 20+ offices in 17 countries, Accely delivers tailored SAP solutions spanning ERP, CRM, HXM, Analytics, BTP and AI. Named an ‘SAP Game Changer’, Accely supports sustainable growth through innovation and operational excellence.

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BAE Systems OneArc integrates commercial embedded training on Army combat vehicles during Force Development Innovation & Assessment (FDIA)

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Embedded system allows soldiers to train on the same system they operate, at the point of need

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BAE Systems (LON: BA) OneArc (OneArc™) has been awarded an Other Transaction Agreement contract by the U.S. Army to integrate its Embedded Collective Training (ECT) solution on a platoon of combat vehicles at Fort Hood, Texas, as part of the Army’s Force Development Innovation & Assessment (FDIA). The integration marks the first commercially available embedded trainer installed in a U.S. Army combat vehicle.

“Crews need the ability to train wherever the mission requires, without being tied to fixed simulator facilities,” said Sergeant First Class Patrick Muir, 1st Cavalry Division Standardization Master Gunner. “The ECT supports Army FDIA by providing a single, adaptable system that enables precision and collective training across geographically dispersed locations using organic platform controls and procedures. This gives commanders greater flexibility to build and sustain readiness while reducing the costs and infrastructure requirements traditionally associated with dedicated facilities.”

Throughout the FDIA event, U.S. Army crews will train on the full range of precision gunnery progression tasks in support of platform qualification. The initiative covers weapon systems, crew-level qualification and validation of embedded training on a fielded combat platform.

The deployment comes as the Army works to close a persistent gap between the introduction of new capability and combat readiness. Historically, embedded training has arrived years after a platform enters service, if delivered at all, forcing units to rely on live-fire ranges or standalone simulators that are costly, difficult to schedule and disconnected from the vehicle crew stations.

“By integrating a commercial embedded trainer directly on a combat platform already in the fight, the Army gains a repeatable model for pairing new equipment with training capability from day one, rather than treating training as a follow-on program years down the road,” said Rahul Thakkar, President, BAE Systems OneArc. “For a force under pressure to modernize on compressed timelines, the shift, from training as only a pre-deployment activity to training as a built-in capability, is central to what FDIA is designed to prove out.”

The ECT kits are designed to scale beyond individual crew training, supporting platoon-level collective training and distributed tactical maneuver in later phases. The approach also extends to other ground platforms, both crewed and uncrewed, giving the Army a common path to embedded training across the OneArc ecosystem of capabilities and partners.

The solution was designed to support the Army’s commercial-first approach to training capability, reducing the development phase that often slows deployment of new technologies and compressing the timeline from acquisition to training into months, not years.

For more information, please contact:

Amy Nwamkpa, BAE Systems
Mobile: 703-268-9621
amy.nwamkpa@baesystems.us 

www.baesystems.com/US
@BAESystemsInc

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SOURCE BAE Systems, Inc.

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