The recognition comes during equipifi’s fastest stretch of growth, following its Series B raise.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — equipifi®, the leading provider of bank-led Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions, today announced it has been named a finalist for the Phoenix Business Journal’s Best Places to Work in the Valley for the fourth consecutive year. Last year, the company placed second in the Extra Small category.

equipifi nearly doubled its headcount over the past twelve months, hiring across sales, customer success, product, and engineering to meet growing demand from banks and credit unions for BNPL they own and control. The hiring followed the company’s Series B raise earlier this year and reshaped nearly every team.

“Companies find out what their culture is really made of when they scale it fast,” said Bryce Deeney, Co-Founder and CEO of equipifi. “We nearly doubled the team this year, and earning this recognition in the middle of that tells me we’re bringing in the right people. They’ve matched the pace we were already moving at and even pushed us forward. That’s a testament to the culture we’ve built and the people we bring into it.”

A finalist for a fourth consecutive year, equipifi has consistently earned this recognition during fast stretches of growth. In addition to team size, the company also grew BNPL transaction volume on its platform by 128% year over year, and expanded its platform’s capabilities including enhanced underwriting and notifications.

“This was a year of growth, evolution, and lacing up our running shoes to move fast,” said Marlowe Everett, VP of People at equipifi. “equipifi attracts exceptional people, and we’re deliberate about how we hire, develop, and retain them. We look for people who want to build something meaningful and grow with the company, and once they join, they’re given true ownership to create. With a values-based culture and a wildly talented team in place, we’re set up for an even bigger year ahead.”

equipifi’s team brings together experience in banking, payments, commerce, and fintech, working across disciplines to redefine Buy Now, Pay Later as a product native to the banking experience. A finalist in the Extra Small category this year, equipifi will compete in the next size category in the coming year due to its rapid growth. Learn more about careers at equipifi at equipifi.com/careers.

About equipifi

equipifi is a fintech company that enables banks and credit unions to offer flexible payments and Buy Now, Pay Later as a native capability within their digital banking platforms. By embedding installment lending directly into the institutions consumers already trust, equipifi helps financial institutions deepen the banking relationship, grow their lending portfolio, and compete effectively in a payments landscape defined by evolving consumer expectations. Learn more at equipifi.com.

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SOURCE equipifi

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — dōTERRA welcomed over 10,000 attendees, both in person and virtually, to its 2026 Global Convention, “Imagine,” held September 23 to 26 in Orlando, Florida, marking the first time in company history the annual event has taken place outside of Salt Lake City. Over four days, Wellness Advocates gathered to celebrate achievement, deepen their understanding of Natural Intelligence, and connect as a global community.

“Imagine was an invitation to envision what’s possible when trusted wellness solutions are combined with meaningful human connection,” said Jonathan Johnson, President of dōTERRA. “From celebrating the achievements and service of our Wellness Advocates to unveiling new products and innovations, this year’s Convention demonstrated the strength of what we can build together. As we look ahead, dōTERRA’s future will be shaped by our shared commitment to listen, collaborate, and help the world heal, together.”

The week began with a Recognition Gala honoring an exceptional year of achievement, followed by a Healing Hands Service Project, where attendees prepared more than 12,000 Days for Girls Kits for communities around the world, including Orlando.

Throughout the week, general sessions, TERRAtalks, and immersive experiences, including the dōTERRA Experience, Essential Oil Symposium, and Marketplace, brought the science behind essential oils to life. The final General Session celebrated rank advancements, community milestones, and personal stories of impact, closing with a challenge to turn inspiration into action.

Throughout Convention, dōTERRA introduced an exciting new lineup of products:

Naio 5 mL Essential OilInTune™ Focus Collection: InTune™ Focus Blend 15 mLInTune™ Stick + Hiba WooddōTERRA On Guard™ Stick + EchinaceaPocket Diffusers: dōTERRA Breathe™dōTERRA On Guard™InTune™IKISE™ Skincare Collection: Cleansing BalmFace CleanserToner Smooth & RichDual Serum Smooth & RichDay & Night Face CreamIntensive Eye CreamImmortelle Essential Oil

To explore the full lineup and shop these new products, visit the dōTERRA New Products page.

Together, the event’s experiences and innovations reflected dōTERRA’s continued commitment to inspiring meaningful wellness for people and communities around the world.

About dōTERRA
dōTERRA International is an integrative health and wellness company and the world leader in the global aromatherapy and essential oils market. dōTERRA sources, tests, manufactures, and distributes CPTG Certified Pure Tested Grade® essential oils and essential oil products to over 10 million Wellness Advocates and customers. Through its new Wellness Made Simple program—dōTERRA’s science-backed approach to laying a strong wellness foundation—the company empowers individuals to take charge of their health. Like and follow dōTERRA on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more at doTERRA.com.

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SOURCE doTERRA International, LLC

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — State Controller Malia M. Cohen published the 2025 self-reported payroll data for University of California (UC) institutions and California Community College Districts (CCD) on the Government Compensation in California website. The published data covers 451,244 positions, more than $34 billion in wages, and over $6 billion in retirement and health contributions. Total compensation exceeded $40.1 billion.

All 10 UC campuses and the Office of the President submitted complete reports. Their data covers 357,167 positions, more than $29.2 billion in wages, and nearly $4.5 billion in retirement and health contributions, for total compensation of over $33.7 billion. UC institutions have maintained a 100 percent reporting rate since joining the program as voluntary participants in reporting year 2013.

Thirty-six of the state’s 73 CCD submitted complete reports. Their published data covers 94,077 positions, more than $4.8 billion in wages, and over $1.5 billion in retirement and health contributions, for total compensation of more than $6.3 billion. Twenty-six districts did not file a report, and eleven submitted incomplete reports.

“Our public colleges and universities open doors to opportunity, and Californians deserve to know how public dollars support that work,” said Controller Cohen. “I appreciate the University of California’s continued commitment to complete reporting and encourage every community college district to do the same. When every institution participates, the public can see the full investment in the people who keep our campuses running and help our students succeed.”

Among the UC campuses, UCLA reported the most positions at 74,519, followed by UC San Diego at 54,598. Of the CCD with published data, Los Angeles Community College District reported the most positions at 11,182, followed by Los Rios Community College District at 7,154.

The UC data also shows that 42 of the 50 highest-paid employees worked in the medical field. Among the 15 highest-paid employees, nine worked in medicine and six in athletics. The average wages of the 10 highest-paid UC employees rose by more than 17 percent over five years, from $3.14 million in 2021 to $3.69 million in 2025.

California law requires cities, counties, and special districts to report compensation data annually to the State Controller’s Office (SCO). The SCO also publishes payroll data for state departments and California State University and solicits voluntary reports from other public entities, including UC institutions and CCD.

The Government Compensation in California website allows the public to search pay and benefit information by employer and job title, view results by region, and export data and custom reports.

As the chief fiscal officer of the fourth-largest economy in the world, California State Controller Malia M. Cohen independently oversees and manages the state’s financial resources with integrity and transparency to build trust. Controller Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. She has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds. The Controller is a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds. Follow the California State Controller’s Office on X, Facebook, and YouTube at @CAController and on Instagram at @CaliforniaController.

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SOURCE California State Controller’s Office