Janice Sand

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced its Senior Vice President of Human Resources Katie Smith has been named a 2025 HousingWire Woman of Influence. The national award recognizes her exceptional leadership, commitment to company culture and impact on the fintech and mortgage lending industry.

PHOENIX, Ariz. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Black Chamber of Arizona, in partnership with the Millionaire Mastermind Academy, will kick off the third cohort of its signature Impact AZ 2025 business accelerator with a full-day launch event Tuesday, July 8, at the Better Business Bureau Innovation & Event Hub Center in Phoenix.

VICTORIA, B.C. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Tony Cond, a retired Royal Canadian Navy Marine Systems Engineer and lifelong sailor, shares a collection of personal stories in his new book, "Rigged: The Misadventures of a Classic Wooden Sailboat" (ISBN: 978-1779622808), released June 2025 through Tellwell Publishing. The book captures decades of misadventures, quiet triumphs, and family traditions centered around a classic 1947 wooden boat named Rufus.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The world of vintage advertising is getting a new home. Opening in 2026, the Paul Stanley Sign Museum, a nonprofit organization, in Los Angeles will pay tribute to the visionary work of Paul Stanley & Company, the San Francisco-based design firm behind some of the most imaginative and visually striking point-of-sale advertising displays ever created.

CLEVELAND, Ohio /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, has unveiled its July guest lineup featuring five impressive leaders who will explore the power of analytics, interpret public policy signals, unpack the barriers to home ownership and deliver pragmatic capital markets perspective. Co-hosted by mortgage business consultant and executive coach Rich Swerbinsky and capital markets authority Rob Chrisman, author of the widely read Chrisman Commentary newsletter, the webcast delivers timely, thought-provoking conversations with mortgage professionals, innovators and thought leaders.

TROY, Mich. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Executive Vice President, Head of Operations Melinda (Mindy) Lesinski has been named to HousingWire's 2025 Women of Influence list. HousingWire's Women of Influence program was launched in 2010 to recognize women making notable contributions to both their businesses and the industry at large, with a specific focus on contributions during the most recent 12 months.

NEW YORK, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As Americans gear up to celebrate Independence Day, StarknightMT is saluting the spirit of freedom with unbeatable deals for off-road enthusiasts. The company recently announced the launch of its 4th of July Sale, running from June 28 through July 10. And the excitement doesn't end there-StarknightMT' s Prime Day Sale kicks off July 5, bringing more deals to fuel your next adventure.

LEXINGTON, Ky. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- In a world captivated by billion-dollar headlines and corporate giants, a new book turns the spotlight to the real engines of economic and social change: small business owners. Bestselling author David Grau Sr., JD, launches his newest and most important work, "Changing the World... Through Small Business Stewardship" (ISBN: 979-8991262996), now available worldwide in paperback and Ebook formats via Amazon and major online distributors.

ORLANDO, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Cole Engineering Services, Inc. (CESI), a By Light Company, has been awarded a $62 million production contract by the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) to deliver more than 100 Stinger Training Systems (STS) over the next five years.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Frank Residences, a non-profit senior living community known for its integrated memory care, is partnering with the Alzheimer's Association to host a "Care for the Caregiver" Workshop on Thursday, July 10, from 4 to 5 p.m. at One Avalon Avenue, San Francisco.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Street Media Group, a leading out-of-home advertising provider in northern Colorado, has been awarded a multi-year contract with the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. The agreement allows Street Media Group to market and sell out-of-home advertising space on Transfort's public transit amenities, including buses, bus stop shelters, and bus stop benches.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Meet Scentient, the clean fragrance subscription box that reimagines scent discovery through the lens of safety, sustainability, and elevated sensory experience. Launching July 1, Scentient offers curated, non-toxic perfumes from independent brands that align with the values of today's conscious consumer.

ONTARIO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Maglite® brand partners with the Pedestrian Safety Institute (PSI) to support traffic and pedestrian safety during one of the deadliest times of the year, the first week in July. The days surrounding July 4th are perilous and are routinely referred to as the deadliest driving days of the year, and pedestrian deaths make up approximately 20% of those fatalities.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced it has established an integration with Uniform Collateral Data Portal® (UCDP®), a single portal jointly maintained by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs). This expansion positions Dark Matter as an early adopter of the technology needed to support the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 and Forms Redesign initiative.

SEATTLE, Wash. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Champion Challenge held in Porterville, California June 20, 2025. Hosted by the Sequoia Pygmy Goat Association, How the West Was Won National Convention brought together the best animals from across the country for a chance to claim the top honor of national champion.

BURLINGTON, Ky. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Looking for crave-worthy comfort food at a price that satisfies your taste buds and your wallet? Snappy Tomato Pizza ("Snappy") is thrilled to announce the introduction of their new Snappy Savers menu - featuring Medium 1-topping pizzas, Cinnabreads, Cheesy Breads, boneless wings, and two NEW appetizers - Mozzarella Sticks and Pepperoni Rolls. The best part? For a limited time, buy two or more for just $6.99 each!

NEW YORK, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- OneConv, known for its innovation in the multimedia industry, launches the new OneConv Netflix Video Downloader, giving users the ability to download high-quality Netflix shows in their original resolution with ease. This professional tool supports one-click downloads of entire seasons, offering a seamless way to enjoy Netflix content offline without any limitations.

NEW YORK and HONG KONG /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Cisdem, with over a decade of experience in file deduplication software, announces the official launch of Cisdem Duplicate Finder for Windows 4.0.0. This new version introduces an AI-powered file comparison algorithm, increasing accuracy from 99.7% to 100%. The new AI-driven image comparison algorithm enhances similar image detection. This upgrade provides users with a new, lightning-fast deduplication experience.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced its CEO, Sean Dugan, has been named to Inman's 2025 Best of Finance list. Now in its third year, the award is a prestigious industry recognition honoring professionals in the mortgage and financial services sectors who demonstrate exceptional innovation, influence and impact on the residential real estate ecosystem.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Argyle, a service provider automating income, employment and asset verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, today announced that its founder and CEO Shmulik Fishman has been named one of Inman's 2025 Best of Finance, his second consecutive appearance on the list. Inman's editorial team hand-selects distinguished professionals for their role in driving the mortgage and financial services industries forward through leadership, exceptional service and commitment to innovation.