Acquisition strengthens Vida’s growing portfolio of premium footwear brands and reinforces its leadership in the fashion-comfort market

NEW YORK, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vida Shoes International, Inc. (www.vidagroup.com), a leader in the women’s, children’s and men’s footwear industry with Sunrise Brands, proudly announced that it has acquired the Donald Pliner® brand, including all associated intellectual property and brand assets. The transaction officially closed on July 20, 2026.

The acquisition marks another significant milestone in Vida’s continued growth strategy and further expands its portfolio of premium footwear brands. Donald Pliner® joins Vida’s family of brands as the company continues to strengthen its position within the fashion-comfort footwear category.

Donald Pliner® is recognized as one of the industry’s most respected footwear brands, known for its distinctive design, premium craftsmanship and loyal consumer following. The brand has maintained consistent distribution and strong brand equity, making it a natural fit within Vida’s expanding portfolio.

“For more than 52 years, Vida has specialized in developing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing footwear,” said Solomon Dabah, President of Vida Shoes International, Inc. “Donald Pliner is an iconic brand with tremendous heritage, strong consumer recognition and significant growth potential. Its premium positioning and loyal customer base align perfectly with our expertise and long-term vision. We believe Donald Pliner has all the ingredients necessary to become an even stronger force in the fashion-comfort marketplace.”

The acquisition supports Vida’s long-term strategy of building a balanced portfolio of both owned and licensed brands. By combining Donald Pliner®’s established market position with Vida’s global development capabilities, technical expertise, financial resources, marketing expertise and longstanding retail relationships, the company sees significant opportunities to accelerate future growth.

In the near term, Vida’s focus will remain on supporting and strengthening the existing Donald Pliner® business while preserving the brand’s identity and premium positioning. The current product assortment will continue, with future investments centered on innovative materials, advanced construction techniques, enhanced product development, digital commerce initiatives and increased consumer engagement.

“We have tremendous respect for the Donald Pliner team and everything they have accomplished rebuilding the brand,” said Gabriel Safdeye, Senior Vice President of Vida Shoes International, Inc. “Our goal is to provide additional resources, infrastructure and expertise that will accelerate growth while remaining true to the brand’s DNA. We look forward to working closely together and building on the strong foundation already in place.”

“Having led Donald Pliner for the past six years, I have seen firsthand the strength of this brand, the talent of this team, and the loyalty of our customers,” said Griffin Guez, CEO of Donald Pliner®. “We worked hard to rebuild and elevate what Donald Pliner stands for, and I couldn’t be more proud of what we accomplished together. I want to especially recognize Jonathan Guez, whose leadership of our e-commerce division meaningfully strengthened the brand’s digital presence and consumer reach. Seeing the brand join Vida’s portfolio is tremendously exciting. Vida’s proven record in the footwear industry, deep expertise and exceptional team make them the ideal home for the future of Donald Pliner. I look forward to their continued success.”

Donald Pliner® currently enjoys distribution through a strong network of premier department stores, specialty retailers and digital partners. Vida intends to maintain those valued retail relationships while thoughtfully expanding distribution through strategic partnerships that preserve the brand’s premium positioning.

The company also expressed its appreciation to the Vida team, recognizing that this milestone reflects years of dedication across the organization.

“This acquisition would not have been possible without the incredible people of Vida,” Dabah added. “Every division across our company has contributed to the strength of our business through hard work, resilience and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Our talented associates and leadership team have built the foundation that allows us to continue investing in exceptional brands and growing our portfolio. I want to sincerely thank every member of the Vida family for helping make this exciting new chapter possible.”

Looking ahead, Vida envisions elevating Donald Pliner® into one of the leading fashion-comfort footwear brands by investing in product innovation, consumer awareness, digital growth and strategic distribution while remaining true to the qualities that have made the brand successful for decades.

ABOUT VIDA SHOES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Vida Shoes International, Inc. designs, manufactures, markets and distributes fashion-forward and outdoor adventure footwear for women, men and children. In addition to marketing products under its own brands including Jambu®, JBU®, J Sport®, Aquatalia®, Andre Assous® and Munro®, Vida is a licensee of various brands, including BCBG®, Bruno Magli®, Splendid®, Kenneth Cole®, Stride Rite®, Carter’s®, Merrell® Kids, Saucony® Kids, Kurt Geiger® and OshKosh B’Gosh®. Vida also designs and manufactures products under private labels brands for various retailers. Vida’s wholesale distribution includes department stores, independent retailers, specialty stores, national chains and mass merchants. Vida supports direct to consumer ecommerce for Stride Rite®, Merrell Kids®, Saucony® Kids, Jambu®, JBU®, J Sport®, Bruno Magli®, Aquatalia®, Andre Assous® and Munro®. Learn more at www.vidagroup.com.

ABOUT DONALD PLINER®

Founded in 1989, Donald Pliner is a premium footwear brand known for blending distinctive design, exceptional comfort, and quality craftsmanship. Offering a collection of women’s and men’s footwear, the brand is recognized for innovative materials, thoughtful details, and versatile styles that balance fashion with everyday wearability. Donald Pliner is distributed through premier department stores, specialty retailers, select digital partners, and its direct-to-consumer channels.

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SOURCE Vida Shoes International

New card delivers unlimited 1% cash back and broader access to credit for consumers building their financial future

WILMINGTON, Del. and HATTIESBURG, Miss., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Continental Finance Company (Continental Finance), a leading marketer and servicer of credit cards issued by partner banks for consumers with less than perfect credit, and Grand Bank for Savings, FSB (Grand.bank®), announced today the execution of their affiliate partnership to introduce the Grand.bank® Plus Mastercard®: a new credit card designed to expand access to credit and reward everyday spending. The card will be issued by Grand Bank for Savings, FSB and is expected to launch in early September 2026.

The partnership pairs Grand.bank’s mission driven approach to responsible banking with Continental Finance’s expertise in credit card marketing, servicing, and technology to offer consumers responsible credit products that reward good habits and support lasting financial progress.

“Access to credit is where financial progress begins. Too many Americans are shut out because of a thin file or a single past setback. The Grand.bank Plus Mastercard is tailor-made for them. It rewards everyday spending and helps underserved consumers build the credit record that opens real doors. Continental Finance brings over two decades of servicing and technology expertise. Grand.bank brings nearly 60 years of responsible underwriting, banking expertise, and a shared commitment to expanding access to credit. Together we can serve the customers the largest institutions overlook. This card is the first of many,” said Tamer El-Rayess, Chairman of Grand Bank for Savings, FSB and Continental Finance Company.

The Grand.bank® Plus Mastercard® offers unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase, giving cardholders a simple and rewarding way to earn while managing their everyday expenses.

The launch marks a milestone in the broader collaboration between the two companies. Building on shared fintech integrations and modern technology, Continental Finance and Grand.bank plan to expand access to credit for a new generation of digital-first consumers.

About Grand.bank

Grand.bank is committed to enhancing the financial well-being of more than one million members of underserved and historically underrepresented communities nationwide by 2030. Through innovative financial solutions and a customer-first approach, the bank strives to break cycles of harmful debt, encourage savings, promote homeownership, and help families build generational wealth.

About Continental Finance Company

Founded in 2005, Continental Finance Company has managed more than 5.3 million credit cards and has built its reputation by providing affordable, bank-issued credit products and exceptional customer service to consumers who are excluded by traditional credit card programs. Through responsible innovation and financial education, Continental Finance continues to expand access to credit for individuals often overlooked by traditional financial institutions.

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SOURCE Continental Finance Company, LLC

BELLEVUE, Wash., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CloudMoyo, an AI-first digital engineering and managed services company, has announced it has been named a Microsoft Fabric Featured Partner, a designation recognizing partners with demonstrated capabilities in delivering Microsoft Fabric and analytics solutions.

As organizations prepare for AI, many are also rethinking the data platforms that support it. Microsoft Fabric brings together data engineering, analytics, real-time intelligence, Fabric IQ, and AI into a unified platform, helping enterprises modernize legacy environments and establish a trusted foundation for AI. As a Microsoft Fabric Featured Partner, CloudMoyo helps customers accelerate this journey, from migrating legacy BI platforms to building unified, AI-ready data estates, automating business processes, and driving forward-looking planning with Fabric Planning and Agentic AI.

CloudMoyo combines its Microsoft Fabric expertise with reusable IP, accelerators, and implementation frameworks that help customers modernize faster. Its portfolio includes the CloudMoyo AI Framework (CAF), an agentic AI solution suite, and industry-focused accelerators that support migration, analytics modernization, AI adoption, and managed services. These capabilities are backed by Microsoft-recognized Fabric expertise and delivery experience.

“Ninety days ago, after we attended Fabcon 2026, we set a bold target to become a Microsoft Fabric Featured Partner. What followed was focused, disciplined execution, guided by our FORTE values,” says Manish Kedia, CEO and Co-Founder of CloudMoyo. “This achievement reflects our continued investment in Microsoft Fabric expertise and strengthens our ability to help customers modernize their data platforms, build AI-ready foundations, and deliver intelligent operations solutions with Microsoft’s expanding Fabric ecosystem.”

Microsoft echoed that momentum, pointing to what the designation signals for enterprise customers evaluating a Fabric delivery partner.

“The Microsoft Fabric Featured Partner designation recognizes partners that have invested in building deep technical expertise and proven delivery capability on Fabric,” says Dipti Borkar, Vice President & GM, Azure Data, Microsoft. “As more enterprises look to unify their data and adopt agentic AI, Featured Partners like CloudMoyo help customers move with confidence, from migration, to governance, to modern operations built on Fabric.”

CloudMoyo also holds Microsoft Solutions Partner designations in Data & AI and Digital & App Innovation, along with Azure Advanced Specializations, reflecting its capabilities and expertise across Microsoft technologies.

To see how CloudMoyo can accelerate your Microsoft Fabric journey, visit https://www.cloudmoyo.com/.

Media Contact
Joy Bartolome
Marketing Lead
+1 (425) 908-0880
Joy.bartolome@cloudmoyo.com 

About CloudMoyo
CloudMoyo is an AI-first digital engineering and managed services company that helps enterprises maximize the value of their cloud, data, and AI investments. The company moves beyond adoption to deliver sustained business outcomes by infusing AI at the core of enterprise operations, enabling automation and scalable solutions across systems. CloudMoyo partners strategically with Microsoft Fabric, Azure Cloud & AI, and Icertis Contract Intelligence to accelerate transformation, reduce risk, fast-track time to value, and operationalize AI at scale—including revitalizing underperforming or stalled implementations. Its solutions combine deep platform expertise, advanced AI capabilities, and a CoE-led managed services model to drive measurable impact. Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, CloudMoyo has delivered 400+ digital engineering engagements across manufacturing, technology, retail & CPG, healthcare, public sector, and other industries – guided by its people-centric FORTE values. Learn more at www.cloudmoyo.com. 

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SOURCE CloudMoyo