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WELL Health’s Subsidiary WELLSTAR Provides Corporate Update on its Recent Acquisitions and Announces Strategic Additions to its Management Team

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WELLSTAR has made two key additions to its management team, Sarah Xu has joined as Vice President of Growth Operations and Frank Seiferth has joined as Vice President of Product. Sarah and Frank bring deep industry experience and leadership backgrounds including Google, Ambience Healthcare, Blue-Dot and Amdocs.WELLSTAR also welcomes the operators and teams behind its newest acquisitions and partnerships, Microquest and Bluebird iT. Microquest is a leading EMR provider serving the Province of Alberta with over 375 clinics and 1600 providers. Bluebird iT supports over 700 medical clinics and hospitals across Canada, making it the largest provider of IT solutions and services to outpatient healthcare clinics in Canada, and the leading deployment provider of technology solutions for Canadian doctors.WELLSTAR delivers technology solutions to over 40% of all physicians in Canada and is committed to further expansion through organic and inorganic growth, underpinned by continuing to deliver tangible, innovative and valuable tools to healthcare providers nationwide.

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 19, 2025 /CNW/ – WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL) (OTCQX: WHTCF) (“WELL” or “the Company”), a digital healthcare company focused on positively impacting health outcomes by leveraging technology to empower healthcare practitioners and their patients globally, is pleased to announce key updates regarding its subsidiary WELLSTAR Technologies Corp. (“WELLSTAR”), the leading provider of healthcare technology solutions in Canada. WELLSTAR announces key additions to its management team, Sarah Xu as Vice President of Growth Operations and Frank Seiferth as Vice President of Product. The Company also provides an update on its recent acquisitions of Microquest and Bluebird iT.

Amir Javidan, CEO of WELLSTAR, commented, “As WELLSTAR scales its operations and prepares to be spun out of WELL, as a separate public company that will be majority owned and controlled by WELL, we are delighted to announce the recent addition of tremendously talented senior leaders to the WELLSTAR team. Sarah and Frank have been appointed to new senior roles within the company, while Brandon Blanck, CEO of Microquest and John Solomos, CEO of Bluebird iT, have joined us through the acquisitions of those two companies. In previous roles, Sarah spent significant time and effort at Google in global business strategy and operations, using her knowledge of customer acquisition to help scale some of the most important and valuable brands we see in the HCIT marketplace. Frank, as Head of Product at BlueDot, leveraged AI to anticipate, understand, and respond to threats by building a best-in-breed infectious disease intelligence provider.”

Mr. Javidan further adds, “We are also very pleased to welcome Brandon Blanck and John Solomos, as well as their talented teams to the WELLSTAR family. Brandon and John will stay in their current operator roles and focus on growing their businesses while delivering value to their customers and ecosystem partners. Microquest and Bluebird iT are proving to be key assets that expand WELLSTAR’s footprint across Canada and complement our existing solutions.”

Microquest is a leading EMR solution serving 375 clinics and 1,600 providers in the province of Alberta. Bluebird iT is the largest provider of IT services to outpatient healthcare clinics in Canada, making it the leading deployment provider of technology for Canadian doctors.

Bluebird iT supports over 700 clinics and hospitals across Canada and will be looking to expand organically and inorganically as a trusted, vendor-agnostic provider that delivers exceptional technology solutions and services to its clinic customers. WELL has acquired a 51% stake with founder ownership maintaining 49%.

With these acquisitions, WELLSTAR now has over 330 team members and delivers technology solutions to over 40% of all physicians in Canada, reinforcing its position as an enabling force in digital health. The Company’s experienced leadership team is focused on driving innovation, expanding technology offerings, and strengthening relationships with healthcare providers. WELLSTAR’s goal is to support providers in overcoming the significant administrative burden they currently face through the use of next-generation digital and AI-enabled software solutions. WELLSTAR supports one of the largest ecosystems of solutions for the digital enablement of healthcare in Canada, including:

Provincially integrated primary and specialty-care EMRs.Revenue optimization, including automated insured and uninsured billing management.Patient engagement solutions, including online booking, secure messaging, and E-referrals.AI-enabled automation solutions, including ambient scribe, inbox management, and rare and chronic disease decision support tools.

By delivering scalable, interoperable solutions, the Company is committed to enhancing practice efficiency, improving patient care, and creating long-term value for Canadian healthcare.

WELLSTAR is pleased to announce that it has appointed two new leaders to key posts in the company’s senior leadership team:

Sarah Xu – Vice President Growth Operations

Sarah Xu brings extensive experience in growth strategy, business intelligence, and healthcare technology. As VP of Growth Operations at WELL, she will play a key role in scaling WELLSTAR’s market presence and optimizing growth initiatives across its portfolio.

Sarah is a healthcare go-to-market leader with a proven track record of scaling growth-stage companies and startups across Google, Ambience Healthcare, and Circle Medical. She has rejoined WELL, having previously led Circle Medical as Head of Growth, where she built the growth engine that profitably drove 10X revenue growth over 18 months and scaled the company from 8 to 200+ clinicians. Sarah led companies through hypergrowth at Google, partnering closely to identify and execute transformative strategies that unlocked 2X-10X profitable growth. Her success in consistently driving outsized revenue growth and identifying opportunities to profitably leverage Google’s machine learning capabilities across its SEO and paid acquisition channels enabled her to scale companies in the D2C and enterprise SaaS space effectively.

Sarah most recently brought to market leading healthcare AI technology at US-based Ambience Healthcare, where she established the sales and marketing teams and successfully launched the non-founder sales motions driving the first seven-figure sales of ambient scribing tools with leading enterprise health systems in the US. Sarah joined the company pre-revenue as its first business hire and led its go-to-market function through its USD$70M Series B led by Kleiner Perkins and OpenAI.

At WELLSTAR, Sarah is focused on accelerating growth initiatives, optimizing data-driven strategies, and expanding market penetration through strategic partnerships and operational efficiencies. Her expertise in scaling healthcare technology businesses will be instrumental in driving WELLSTAR’s next growth phase.

Frank Seiferth – Vice President of Product

Frank is a seasoned SaaS product leader with over 25 years of experience driving innovation, growth, and market expansion across health-tech, cybersecurity, e-commerce, and supply chain. He has successfully led multiple companies through high-growth transitions, IPOs, and successful exits, shaping product strategy and execution. At health-tech Bluedot, he led the product strategy for its AI-driven disease outbreak intelligence, enabling the company to detect COVID-19 in China first—nine days ahead of global health organizations.

Previously, Frank held senior product leadership roles at Tecsys and Amdocs, where he spearheaded digital transformation initiatives, expanded market presence, integrated acquisitions, and drove product innovation. Known for building high-performance teams and fostering innovation, he excels in scaling products, leading AI-driven transformation, and driving product-led growth. Frank is an inventor with multiple patents and holds a master’s degree in Communication Technology (Diplom-Ingenieur FH) from the University of Zwickau, Germany.

At WELLSTAR, Frank will be responsible for leading product strategy and execution across all the portfolio of products, including EMR, digital apps, AI tools, medical billing and clinic back-office solutions.

WELL HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES CORP.

Per: “Hamed Shahbazi”

Hamed Shahbazi

Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Director

About WELL Health Technologies Corp.

WELL’s mission is to tech-enable healthcare providers. We do this by developing the best technologies, services, and support available, which ensures healthcare providers are empowered to positively impact patient outcomes. WELL’s comprehensive healthcare and digital platform includes extensive front and back-office management software applications that help physicians run and secure their practices. WELL’s solutions enable more than 38,000 healthcare providers between the US and Canada and power the largest owned and operated healthcare ecosystem in Canada with more than 200 clinics supporting primary care, specialized care, and diagnostic services. In the United States WELL’s solutions are focused on specialized markets such as the gastrointestinal market, women’s health, primary care, and mental health. WELL is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “WELL” and on the OTC Exchange under the symbol “WHTCF”. To learn more about the Company, please visit: www.well.company

About WELLSTAR

WELLSTAR (WELLSTAR.health) empowers healthcare providers with innovative technology and services to enhance patient care and operational efficiency. WELLSTAR offers a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to meet the needs of healthcare providers, including: (i) Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software for primary care and specialist providers; (ii) Digital Health Apps including OceanMD and a suite of AI automation solutions, as well as the apps.health marketplace; and (iii) Medical billing and back-office solutions including revenue cycle management (RCM) and technology solutions. WELLSTAR’s comprehensive range of products and solutions are designed to streamline care delivery, integrate fragmented healthcare systems, reduce provider burnout, and improve patient healthcare experiences and outcomes.

 

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SOURCE WELL Health Technologies Corp.

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Multiplier Reveals Global Hiring Trends: International Hiring for Leadership Roles Rises, US-to-Canada Hiring Expands by 170%, and Commercial Roles Outpace Tech

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October 28, 2026

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Based on data from over 38,000 cross-border hires, Multiplier’s Talent Trends reveals the ways companies are fundamentally changing how, where, and why they recruit globally.

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Multiplier, the Global Exchange for Work, released its Talent Trends data, uncovering major shifts in how organizations build and manage international teams. Based on an analysis of more than 38,000 hires across 2,700+ companies, the data demonstrates that global hiring strategies are increasingly driven by commercial expansion, nearshore market growth, and geographical splits between leadership and operational delivery roles.

The continued volatility of H-1B visas has remained a driving force for global engineering and data hiring. Those positions mark the largest single function at 25% of all hires through Multiplier. Sales and customer support roles, however, saw the fastest acceleration over the past year. Sales hiring grew 108%, and customer support grew 59%, significantly outpacing overall hiring through Multiplier (53%) and engineering and data roles, which grew 34%.

“As work goes global, decisions can no longer rely on blind instinct or outdated surveys,” said Sagar Khatri, Co-Founder and CEO of Multiplier. “Talent Trends leverages real contracts and real wages from Multiplier’s Global Exchange for Work to show what work is worth, where talent runs deep, and where it’s heading. The data is cleaned rigorously, broken down by country, role, seniority and industry, and refreshed every quarter. It shows the market as it is today, not as it was a year ago, which provides HR leaders, finance teams, and global talent the real intelligence needed to make confident, evidence-based moves.”

Key Insights from the Talent Trends data:

International Leadership Roles are Rising: Director-level or above hires grew 84% in the 12 months to June 2026, faster than hiring overall through Multiplier (53%). Leadership roles make up 29% of hires in the UK and 26% in Singapore.Commercial Roles Outpacing Technical Hiring: Sales is now the top hiring function in mature international markets, including Germany (26%), Australia (28%), and the UK (22%).The Leadership vs. Delivery Divide: Director-level and executive roles are heavily concentrated in regional hubs: they account for 29% of hires in the UK, 26% in Singapore, and nearly 23% in the US and Canada.Surge in Nearshore and Secondary Growth Markets: Nearshore corridors experienced exponential growth, led by Canada (+302%) and Colombia (+210%) in the 12 months to June 2026, driven largely by US companies. US-to-Canada hiring also expanded 170% year-over-year in Q2 2026, becoming the single largest cross-border hiring corridor through Multiplier.Prevalence of USD Pay for Contractors: Contractors are paid differently from Employer of Record (EOR) employees. In Brazil, 75% of contractors and freelancers receive pay in USD, while 100% of EOR employees are paid in other currencies.Backfill vs. Net New Growth: Replacement hiring varies more than tenfold across borders. Nearly a quarter of hires in India and 20% in the Philippines replace departing employees, compared to just 7% in the US and 2% in Canada.Localized Hiring Calendars: Peak hiring seasons vary significantly by geography. Onboarding peaks in April in Australia (16% of starts), whereas January is the busiest month for China (18%), Spain (15%), and Germany (13%).

Talent Trends draws on more than 38,000 hires through Multiplier’s Global Exchange for Work, covering 24 months ending in June 2026. It covers Employer of Record (EOR) employees, contractors and freelancers. Every figure rests on at least 50 hires, and figures where a single customer makes up more than 35% of the data were omitted, with a few exceptions marked as indicative.

To explore the Talent Trends tool and explore detailed profiles for 20 key global hiring markets, visit https://www.usemultiplier.com/talent-trends.

About Multiplier

Multiplier is the Global Exchange for Work, precision-built for companies to hire, manage, and pay global teams across more than 160 countries. By combining Employer of Record, COR, and Global Payroll, with a vast network of owned entities and human-first support, Multiplier empowers companies of all sizes to expand globally with confidence. Since 2020, the global-first infrastructure has processed over $1.81 billion in cross-border wages, reshaping the global economy and the future of work. 

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SOURCE Multiplier

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The Digimon Card Game Heads to the Digital World in DIGIMON ALYSION! Pre-Register Today!!

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October 28, 2026

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Pre-registration for the mobile version of the popular card game begins today in 49 countries and regions!

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — After years of building a thriving and competitive community of Digimon Tamers, BANDAI CO., LTD. is thrilled to share that the Digimon Card Game is making the jump to mobile platforms with DIGIMON ALYSION! Pre-registration for this mobile title is now available to all curious Digi-Destined in 49 countries and regions across the globe!

Pre-Register for DIGIMON ALYSION: HERE

Taking place in the world of the DIGIMON LIBERATOR webcomic and light novel, which are both available to read for free on the Digimon Card Game official website, DIGIMON ALYSION is set to expand the card game through the inclusion of exclusive new cards, as well as the lore of the extended Digimon universe with a new Story Mode!

In DIGIMON ALYSION’s Story Mode, players follow along as card game newcomer Kanata Hondo learns the rules and systems of the Digimon Card Game with support from her best friend Futre, and plays card battles by following the in-game guide. Beyond helping new players learn how to play the Digimon Card Game, the Story Mode will also feature performances from famed voice actors who are bringing these characters to life. This cast of characters and performers will include:

Kanata Hondo voiced by Shu UchidaAn energetic, upbeat casual gamer who has played games of all kinds but is new to card games.Futre voiced by Hikari KubotaA girl who games with Kanata. They have never met in real life, but they are so close that each considers the other a best friend.Valner Dragnogh voiced by Fairouz AiA girl who is the guild master of [Di:WO], the guild Futre once belonged to.Renamon voiced by Miyuki SawashiroValner’s partner Digimon. Renamon rarely shows emotion, but is always looking out for Valner.Aliol voiced by Ayumu MuraseThe guide for DIGIMON LIBERATOR, a near-future full-dive game.

With deep gameplay that supports a wide variety of viable decks, plus battle and strategy design built for competitive play such as ranked matches and tournaments, the game delivers a full-fledged TCG experience that card game fans and Digimon fans alike are sure to love!

Game Info:

Title: DIGIMON ALYSION
Genre: Online card game
Developer/Operator: BANDAI CO., LTD.
Platforms: App Store / Google Play (iOS / Android)
System Languages: Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean
Card Languages: Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Korean
Price: Free-to-play (in-app purchases)
Pre-registration start: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Official release: Planned for 2026

Related Links:

Official website: https://www.digimon-alysion.com
Official X: https://x.com/DIGIMON_ALYSION
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Digimon-Alysion/61573960307458/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digimon_alysion
Digimon Card Game Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@digimontcgen
Read Digimon Liberator: https://digimoncard.com/digimon_liberator/en/
App Store / Google Play: https://app.adjust.com/25feumqt

Company and Copyright Info: 
Company Profile: BANDAI CO., LTD.
Website: https://www.bandai.com/ 

Please include the following copyright information for all images, videos, and all other assets sourced from DIGIMON ALYSION:
©Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation ©BANDAI

Additional Assets: HERE

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SOURCE BANDAI CO., LTD.

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The Ad Council Welcomes 23 New Members to Its Board of Directors

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October 28, 2026

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Meta’s Nicola Mendelsohn Elevated to Vice Chair

NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Ad Council, America’s leader in leveraging the power of communications to inspire action and accelerate change around the nation’s most pressing issues elected 23 new members to its Board of Directors at its biannual Board meeting yesterday. Along with welcoming a new group of leading marketing, media and business executives, the nonprofit organization elevated Nicola Mendelsohn, Head of Global Business Group, Meta, to the role of Vice Chair. Mendelsohn joined the Ad Council Board of Directors in 2023, and the Executive Committee in 2024.

Chaired by Kirk McDonald, CEO of Sundial Media & Technology Group, the Ad Council’s Board of Directors offers critical strategic and financial support fueling the organization’s mission to address the leading issues facing people in the U.S., including firearm injury prevention, mental health and more.

“We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional leaders to the Ad Council’s Board of Directors. Each brings an incredible depth of experience, fresh perspective, and a genuine commitment to our mission. I’m excited for the ideas and energy they’ll bring as we work together to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing challenges and create meaningful, lasting impact,” said Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman.

“The Ad Council is proof of what our industry can do at its best: when creativity, media and technology come together in service of something bigger,” said Nicola Mendelsohn, incoming Vice Chair of the Ad Council Board of Directors. “I’m honored to step into this role and to work alongside such talented leaders across the industry to accelerate that impact in the years ahead.”

New members of the Ad Council Board of Directors include:  

Mindy Barry, CMO, Mars Pet Nutrition North America, MarsLinda Boff, President, Forbes CMO Network, ForbesDevika Bulchandani, Chief Operating Officer, WPPJames Cadwallader, Co-Founder & CEO, ProfoundRobin Callif, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Omnicom Public RelationsLindsay Franke, Group President & Deputy CEO – North America, IpsosLiza Heller, Sector Director, CPG, U.S., TikTokAlexander Jutkowitz, Partner, Head of Advisory, United Talent AgencyAshan Khan, Head of Global Agency Partnerships, Uber Advertising, UberJohn Kozack, President, U.S. Advertising Sales and Marketing, TelevisaUnivisionCasey DePalma McCartney, Senior Vice President, Communications & Corporate Affairs, Unilever North AmericaAdrian Mulryan, VP, Global Agency & Strategic Accounts, Snap Inc.Peter Naylor, Chief Client Officer, NielsenKristen O’Hara, VP, Global Agency Platforms & Client Solutions, GoogleTim Perzyk, VP, Marketing & Marketing Science, Microsoft AdvertisingMegan Ramm, Global Chief Revenue Officer, PubMaticHoward Reid, SVP, Corporate Brand & Purpose, Johnson & JohnsonMaggie Reznikoff, Chief Client Officer, Open InfluenceHayley Romer, Managing Director, US Advertising Sales, Bloomberg MediaAlex Underwood, Managing Director, North America, TeadsAshley Walters, Chief Marketing Officer, Partner, CuriosityJennifer Warren, VP, Global Brand Marketing and Experience, IndeedLin-Hua Wu, EVP, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, General Motors

A complete list of the Ad Council Board of Directors is available on the organization’s website, AdCouncil.org. 

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. For more than 80 years, the nonprofit organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country’s most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, Friends Don’t Let Friends
Drive Drunk, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. 

To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and view campaign creative on YouTube. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-ad-council-welcomes-23-new-members-to-its-board-of-directors-302921414.html

SOURCE The Ad Council

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