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BNSF, First Command, WISE Advise and USAA Honored With 2026 Patriots in Business Award

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BNSF, First Command, WISE Advise and USAA have been named winners of the ninth annual Patriots in Business Award, presented by Chief Executive magazine and Thayer Leadership. The award recognizes companies for outstanding support of veterans, active-duty service members and military spouses through their business practices and community commitments. Fiserv, RecruitMilitary and Military Brands received honorable mentions. Selected by a national panel of military and business leaders, the honorees exemplify the U.S. Military Academy values of Duty, Honor and Country. Winners will be recognized November 5, 2026, at Chief Executive’s annual Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

WEST POINT, N.Y., Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — BNSF, First Command, WISE Advise and USAA were honored as winners of the 9th annual Patriots in Business Award for their leadership in helping America’s veterans, active-duty military and military spouses. The award, presented each year by Chief Executive magazine and Thayer Leadership, is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness among corporate leaders of best practices in helping these important communities.

“As we teach at Thayer, values-based leadership is demonstrated through knowledge and action. The companies honored this year put that principle into practice by creating meaningful opportunities for veterans, service members, and military spouses.” Said Dan Rice, Co-President of Thayer Leadership

In addition, Fiserv, RecruitMilitary and Military Brands were awarded honorable mentions by our panel of judges. An award ceremony will take place on Nov. 5 at Chief Executive’s annual Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas. (For more info: https://chiefexecutive.net/leadershipconference/)

The Patriots in Business Award—presented this year in the categories of large, medium and small organizations, as well as a special category for military-service companies—recognizes outstanding businesses that lead our nation in supporting active-duty military members, veterans and their families and exemplify the U.S. Military Academy values of Duty, Honor and Country through their business practices and throughout their community and industry.

“Service is at the heart of both the military and the railroad industry,” said Katie Farmer, President and Chief Executive Officer, BNSF. “Veterans bring exceptional leadership, discipline, adaptability, and a commitment to mission that help make BNSF stronger every day. We are honored to be recognized with the Patriots in Business Award and grateful for the contributions of the veterans, service members, and military families who are part of the BNSF team.”

“We are deeply honored to be recognized once again with the 2026 Patriots in Business Award,” said Mark Steffe, President & CEO, First Command. “Serving those who serve is not simply a market we operate in. It is our purpose and the reason First Command exists. As the only company dedicated to serving military families through a nationwide network of Advisors providing one-on-one financial coaching, we are proud to stand alongside the men and women who sacrifice so much for our country.”

Said Diana Jaquith, CEO & Co-Founder, WISE Advise: “Being named a Patriots in Business honoree is an incredible honor because it validates something we have believed from the beginning. Military spouses are an extraordinary workforce. Their adaptability, resilience, and ability to execute are not limitations to work around; they are competitive advantages.”

Said Juan C. Andrade, President & CEO, USAA: “Receiving the 2026 Patriots in Business Award is a meaningful recognition for USAA. For more than a century, serving the military community has been the heart of who we are. We are proud to work alongside business leaders who share our commitment to creating lasting change for those who serve and their families.”

The companies rose to the top of a highly competitive, nationwide judging process in which a panel of veterans’ affairs experts and business leaders with military backgrounds, including many prior winners of the award, assessed each nominated company’s programs:

Bobbie Shamblin, VP, Talent Acquisition, ArcfieldMona Choi Dexter, VP, Military and Veteran Affairs, ComcastColby Barrett, Former Vice Chairman, GeoStabilization InternationalJoe Crandall, Executive Chairman, Greencastle ConsultingJerry Flanagan, Founder & CEO, JDog BrandsKelley Daviss, CHRO, Lendmark Financial ServicesFreddie Kim, Founder & CEO, MilSpec TalentJon Ferko, Division Senior Director and Head of Strategy, Marketing, Business Development, Northrop GrummanJJ Sutherland, CEO, Scrum, Inc.Bryan Sevener, CEO, Valor TechnologiesGreg Hamm, VP, Field & Government Recruiting, Werner Enterprises

“Nine years in, the bar keeps rising,” said Marshall Cooper, CEO, Chief Executive Group. “This year’s honorees aren’t just hiring veterans. They’re building careers for military spouses and proving that supporting this community is a competitive advantage, not a charity. That’s a lesson every CEO in America should take to heart.”

Said Dan Rice, Co-President of Thayer Leadership: “As we teach at Thayer, values-based leadership is demonstrated through knowledge and action. The companies honored this year with the Patriots in Business Award put that principle into practice by creating meaningful opportunities for veterans, service members, and military spouses. Their example challenges every business leader to consider how their organization can honor military service through a sustained commitment to those who serve and their families.”

About Chief Executive Group

Chief Executive Group is the leading community for business leaders worldwide. The Group runs some of the most extensive peer networking organizations in America, including The Chief Executive Network, the leading CEO membership organization arranged by industry, and The CFO Leadership Council, the largest networking group for financial professionals. It publishes Chief Executive magazine, ChiefExecutive.net, Corporate Board Member magazine, BoardMember.com, CFOLeadership.com, StrategicCHRO360, as well producing conferences and roundtables that enable business leaders to discuss key subjects and share their experiences with their peers. For more information, visit ChiefExecutiveGroup.com.

About Thayer Leadership

An innovative executive leader development institute, globally ranked a Top 20 Leadership Training Company by Training Industry, Thayer delivers transformative leader development experiences that inspire action and change based on their values of purpose-driven character, commitment to excellence, and innovative spirit. As a leading, global expert in values-based leader development, their proprietary and motivating multi-pronged learning approach delivers a holistic experience for participants at West Point, online, virtually, or any location around the world. Thayer has trained more than 140,000 executives and front-line leaders from over 775 global companies across multiple industries, including automotive, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and more. It is a private organization not endorsed or affiliated with the U.S. Government. Learn more at thayerleadership.com.

Media Contact

Dan Bigman, Chief Executive Group, 1 2038894980, dbigman@chiefexecutivegroup.com, chiefexecutive.net

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/bnsf-first-command-wise-advise-and-usaa-honored-with-2026-patriots-in-business-award-302902374.html

SOURCE Chief Executive Group

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LELO Reimagines Intimacy with MONA™ Spectra, the World’s First Luxury Red Light Intimate Wellness Massager

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Recent survey shows 20% people have tried the RLT in some form, with 69% being open to trying it in immediate future.MONA™ Spectra features advanced LED Light Technology for Intimate Wellness – combines targeted sensual G-spot stimulation with advanced LED wavelengths to support intimate health. High-output LED arrays generate a gentle, comforting thermal effect to aid relaxation while focusing on the overall appearance of even-looking skin.

NEW YORK, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — When it comes to sexual wellness, the intersection of pleasure and skincare technology has long been uncharted territory. While light therapy has revolutionised modern skincare routines, its profound benefits have yet to be fully introduced into the bedroom. Known for redefining the premium intimate landscape, LELO has just launched its latest innovation: LELO MONA™ Spectra, red light intimate wellness massager.

Though not a complete novelty, cross over between the two industries is a growing trend driven by consumer demand for holistic self-care, clean formulations, and the destigmatization of sexual health. In a recent survey by LELO, this was reinforced by the respondents, 69% have an interest, and 20% who have already tried some form of red light therapy 

For them the most appealing potential benefits of red light therapy are:

36% Anti-aging effect;28% muscle repair;15% improving or maintaining sexual health;14% support pelvic floor health.

When it comes to the potential benefit of intimate red light therapy for intimate health, participants in the survey think the most compelling are:

37% enhanced blood circulation and sensitivity;32% support for tissue elasticity and pelvic floor health (e.g., postpartum or menopause recovery);29% thermal effect that mimics human touch, relaxes pelvic floor muscles, and helps enhance the experience;28% improved tissue hydration and natural lubrication;27% non-invasive, hormone-free alternative to traditional treatments.

This reinforces the idea that sexual health is an integral part of overall well-being and the new LELO MONA™ Spectra arrives as a groundbreaking evolution in intimate wellness, seamlessly merging advanced LED light technology with deep, powerful G-spot stimulation.

What Makes the MONA Spectra Special?

While typical wellness devices separate sensory pleasure from physical therapy, the Mona Spectra brings them together. Shaped to perfectly target the G-spot with deep, resonant vibrations, its premium, body-safe silicone body features a built-in light-emitting array.

By combining physical micro-stimulation with light wavelengths, the device offers a multi-layered approach to intimate self-care. It is engineered to provide support to long-term intimate wellness, elasticity, and cellular vitality while delivering deep, powerful orgasms. It addresses common pelvic concerns like structural tone, natural moisture production, and tissue well-being—all within a single, elegant ritual.

How Red Light Technology Works

Red light technology relies on a biological process called photobiomodulation (PBM). Instead of using heat to damage and force tissue to rebuild (like aggressive cosmetic lasers), PBM uses non-ionizing, low-level visible red light (typically between 600 to 700 nanometers) to stimulate cells gently from within.

Using the LELO™ app, you can unlock additional modes and LED colors, each offering different benefits.

Pairing through the app allows users to transcend standard vibration modes and fully customize their wellness rituals. The app unlocks two additional UV-free wavelengths

Green: Green: 525nm~535nm,Blue: 465nm~475nm, andNIR: 850 nm

Crafted from silky, body-safe silicone and engineered with ergonomic precision, MONA™ Spectra is designed not just for profound satisfaction, but to nurture and promote a deeply soothing, multi-layered experience. Through its high-output LED array, the device generates a gentle, comforting warmth that aids relaxation, making the entire experience smoother and more comfortable.

LELO MONA™ Spectra Features:

LED LIGHT TECHNOLOGY, REIMAGINED FOR INTIMACY – MONA™ Spectra combines pleasure technology with clinically explored LED wavelengths to support intimate wellness from the inside out.THERMAL ENERGY – MONA™ Spectra naturally generates a gentle thermal energy through its LED array. This benefit may help relax the pelvic muscles and increase blood flow, which in turn makes the overall experience more comfortable.ADDITIONAL APP-CONTROLLED LED LIGHTS – Unlock near-infrared light (850nm), green (525nm~535nm), and blue (465nm~475nm) settings in the LELO™ app for a fully customizable wellness experience. All lights are UV-free.SMOOTHRISE™ TECHNOLOGY – Gently transition through 16 intensity levels for maximum comfort.TWISTED SENSORIAL RIBS – Made with soft sensorial ribs, MONA™ Spectra sends sensations across more nerve endings.8 Built-In Modes + Exclusive App Modes – App-connected for effortless customisation, allowing users to control vibration rhythms and LED configurations right at their fingertips. Fully Waterproof & Body-Safe – Crafted from premium, smooth body-safe silicone and ABS plastic, the device is 100% waterproof and built for long-term wellness rituals in the bath or shower. Colour: whitePrice: 299 EUR/USD

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lelo-reimagines-intimacy-with-mona-spectra-the-worlds-first-luxury-red-light-intimate-wellness-massager-302903368.html

SOURCE LELO

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Alkami Customers Prevent Over $263 Million in Fraud with BioCatch

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Annual results from the Alkami-BioCatch partnership demonstrate the impact of behavior-based fraud prevention and highlight customer experiences from Gate City Bank and Raiz Federal Credit Union.

PLANO, Texas, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Alkami Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALKT) (“Alkami”), a digital sales and service platform provider for financial institutions in the U.S., today announced that its customers using BioCatch through the Alkami Digital Banking Platform prevented over $263M in fraud during 2025, according to data shared by BioCatch.

The results are being shared during Alkami’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time that highlights the importance of maintaining strong security practices throughout the year. Cybercriminals use a range of tactics to gain access to online banking accounts, from harvesting credentials through phishing attempts to manipulating users into surrendering confidential information. BioCatch Account Takeover Protection analyzes behavioral, device, and session signals in real time as account holders interact with digital banking, establishing a baseline for legitimate activity. It can identify deviations, such as unusual navigation, interaction patterns, or transaction behavior that may indicate a compromised account or active takeover attempt.

“BioCatch gives our customers another way to recognize suspicious activity during a digital banking session without introducing friction for customers or members,” said Brad Cranford, director, product management at Alkami. “The 2025 results show how behavioral and session signals are helping financial institutions detect account takeover risk earlier, giving them an opportunity to intervene before suspicious activity becomes a financial loss and helping protect the account holder relationship in the process.”

Each digital banking session is assigned a risk score that financial institutions can use to determine how activity should be handled. Financial institutions set their own thresholds based on their tolerance for potential fraud, allowing them to tailor the response to their security strategy.

“Effective fraud prevention ultimately comes down to recognizing risk early enough to do something about it,” said Jay Whoriskey, vice president of global partners and alliances at BioCatch. “Together, BioCatch and Alkami give banks and credit unions continuous visibility into user intent throughout every millisecond of every digital banking transaction, enabling those financial institutions to recognize account takeover in time to stop it. Preventing more than $263 million in fraud in a single year serves as a powerful demonstration of what behavioral intelligence can do at scale.”

Recent customer success stories exemplified the impact of Alkami and BioCatch’s strategic partnership. Powered by Alkami’s integrated partner ecosystem, Gate City Bank leverages BioCatch to proactively identify account takeover and suspicious behavior. The bank reported a 97% account takeover capture rate and $650K in deterred fraud loss over the last six months. Similarly at Raiz Federal Credit Union, the team deployed a layered security strategy and was able to prevent more than $286K in fraud in the first year, in combination with their other layered security solutions.

BioCatch is available through the Alkami Alliance partner ecosystem and connects with the Alkami Digital Banking Platform.

To learn more about Alkami’s digital banking and fraud prevention capabilities, visit here.

To learn more about Anticipatory Banking and the Alkami Digital Sales & Service Platform, visit here.

About Alkami
Alkami provides a digital sales and service platform for U.S. banks and credit unions. Our unified Platform integrates onboarding, digital banking, and data and marketing—each solution can stand alone, but together they deliver more—to help institutions onboard, engage, and grow relationships. As the future shifts toward Anticipatory Banking, we help data-informed bankers meet the moment with technology that drives action.

About BioCatch
BioCatch prevents fraud and financial crime by recognizing patterns in human behavior, continuously collecting more than 3,000 anonymized data points — keystroke and mouse activity, touch screen behavior, AI agent usage, jailbroken devices, and more — as people interact with their digital banking platforms. With these inputs, BioCatch’s AI and machine-learning models continuously assess both user intent and any signs of coercion or manipulation throughout every millisecond of every digital banking session, allowing banks to distinguish the criminal from the legitimate in real time. Insights drawn from across the entire network of BioCatch institutions further amplify the power and accuracy of that real-time risk-scoring. As of the end of H1 2026, more than 370 financial institutions deploy BioCatch solutions, analyzing 19 billion user sessions per month and protecting more than 760 million users on more than 1.8 billion devices around the world from fraud and financial crime.

Media Relations Contacts
Vested
alkami@fullyvested.com

Marla Pieton
marla.pieton@alkami.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alkami-customers-prevent-over-263-million-in-fraud-with-biocatch-302902791.html

SOURCE Alkami Technology, Inc.

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Rakuten Viki and Imaginus to Co-Produce New Animated K-Drama, The Painted Soul

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 New Series from Director Choi Junbae to Debut Exclusively on Viki Globally this Month

SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rakuten Viki announced today the premiere of a new original Korean animated series The Painted Soul, which blends fantasy and romance with Eastern inspiration. Directed by Choi Junbae (Mouse, Stealer: The Treasure Keeper), the 10-episode series will arrive exclusively on Viki starting October 21 in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Oceania, India, and Southeast Asia. The Painted Soul is a co-production between South Korean production company Imaginus and Viki.

The Painted Soul follows apprentice spirit painter Yun Hwa, who accidentally frees Seol Jin, a mysterious man sealed inside a painting for decades. Legend says anyone who meets his gaze is doomed. But as Yun Hwa is drawn closer to the stranger, she must decide whether what she feels is fear or something more.

Under Junbae’s direction, the renowned creative team working on The Painted Soul is on the cutting edge in driving content forward by leveraging new filmmaking techniques. The concept and storytelling for The Painted Soul was developed by a team of creatives at Imaginus who utilized AI and other technologies to bring the story to life in an impactful way.

“Our fans have told us they want more animated content, and they’re going to love The Painted Soul, a fantasy romance with a visual style unlike anything else on Viki,” said Jaehee Hong, chief content officer at Viki. “We’re always looking for new stories from Korea and beyond to share with our audience. We plan to bring more animation to our platform, and this is just the start.”

Hyunjung Lee, chief creative officer at Imaginus, said, “At their core, our team of artists always wants to tell the most compelling stories. We worked hard to make The Painted Soul an intriguing watch for viewers, and with the use of exciting new technologies, we were able to enhance our storytelling in meaningful ways. We are looking forward to the debut of The Painted Soul on the Viki platform.”

The pioneering production company Imaginus was established in December 2021 by Jinnie Choi, the former CEO of Studio Dragon, a subsidiary of CJ ENM. The company previously worked on popular series including Cinderella at 2AM, which is also available on Viki.

Viki is the leading global destination for Asian entertainment, bringing a diverse line-up of content including dramas, animation, variety shows, movies, and more to a global audience in over 190 countries and territories.

Viki is available to watch for free (with advertisements) or without advertisements through tiered subscriptions of Viki Pass Standard and Viki Pass Plus, and is available on web and several platforms via desktop, mobile, streaming devices, and connected TVs.

For more information, visit: www.viki.com. Follow Viki on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and X.

About Rakuten Viki

Rakuten Viki is a leading global destination for Asian entertainment, attracting audiences worldwide with an extensive library of dramas, variety shows, movies, and Viki Originals from across Asia. With more than 127 million registered users in 190+ countries and territories, Viki’s personalized streaming experience allows fans to discover and watch stories they love, brought to life through curated content and high-quality subtitles. Part of Rakuten Group, Inc., a global powerhouse in e-commerce and internet services, Viki and its entertainment news site Soompi connect a global community of passionate fans through Asian entertainment.

Media Contact:
Beth Mellow: Beth_Mellow@dkcnews.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rakuten-viki-and-imaginus-to-co-produce-new-animated-k-drama-the-painted-soul-302903505.html

SOURCE Rakuten Viki

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