Belmont Village Aliso Viejo Tops Out — Major Construction Milestone Achieved

April 11, 2018, 8:05 am

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First Belmont Senior Living community in Orange County to provide Assisted Living and Memory Care

Houston, Texas, April 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Belmont Village Senior Living has reached a construction milestone with the “topping out” of its twenty-ninth community located at 300 Freedom Lane in Aliso Viejo. Contractor W.E. O’Neil has completed the concrete structure of the three-story building with the final roof placement. The milestone was celebrated on Thursday, March 29, 2018 with an on-site barbeque for subcontractors and special guests.

Belmont Village was founded in 1997 as an integrated developer, owner and operator of high-end seniors housing. In the 20 years since, the company has developed and still operates 27 senior living communities in seven states and Mexico City. The most recent community opened March 24, 2018 in Calabasas.

“Building to high standards for life safety and quality has been the hallmark of our company from the beginning,” said Patricia Will, Belmont Village Founder and CEO. “In W.E. O’Neil, we have found a partner who has a reputation for quality construction and a deep understanding of our unique building requirements. We’ve built several communities together now, creating a very consistent product across markets.” 

In addition to the Aliso Viejo site, Belmont Village currently has four projects under construction in California, Chicago, Texas and Florida. This will be the first community Belmont Village has built in Orange County. Each Belmont Village is built to purpose and licensed throughout the building to provide a blended model of care that offers flexibility for residents if care needs change and allows couples with varying health or cognitive needs to continue to stay together.

“It is gratifying to see new residents move into our buildings, enjoy the variety of community spaces and experience the health, wellness and connectivity that they need to maintain purposeful lives,” said Will. “We take care of all the details such as higher construction standards, licensure of our buildings, research to support our programs and gold-standard training to contribute to the success of each community”

The 123,877-square-foot Mediterranean-style property is scheduled to open in January, 2019 with 148 residences featuring one-bedroom and studio apartments for Assisted Living and Memory Care. The architectural firm of Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh designed the building. Features include a professionally managed fitness center, heated saltwater pool, full service salon and exterior courtyards with outdoor dining patios and gardens by landscape architect is Ridge Landscape Architects.

Belmont Village is a leading senior living provider known for distinctive design, high standards for life safety, and reputation for quality care and innovative, award-winning programs. Residents enjoy chef prepared meals, housekeeping, concierge and transportation services, a full daily calendar of social and enrichment activities, and support from a well-trained staff, including licensed nurses on-site 24/7. For more information, call 949-643-1050 or visit www.belmontvillage.com. ###

*Attachment*

· 20180329-Belmont_aliso_Viejo-Topping-Out-37

CONTACT: Amy Self
Belmont Village Senior Living
7134631730
aself@belmontvillage.com

Lorena Grimes
Belmont Village Senior Living
7134631786
lgrimes@belmontvillage.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 2 hours ago.

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First Sputnik ATX Cohort to Graduate This Week

April 11, 2018, 8:08 am

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AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sputnik ATX, a new Austin accelerator focusing on growth companies, today announced that its inaugural class is graduating from its launch program. The graduating class will participate in a Demo Day tomorrow, Thursday, April 12, where each founder will present to a panel of investors. “We have spent the past three months working closely with our first class, fostering camaraderie amongst our founders and training each startup for success after graduation,” said Reported by Business Wire 2 hours ago.

Pediatrician suspended for throwing a toddler over his shoulder and yelling 'Satan' 

April 11, 2018, 8:11 am

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Pediatrician Dr. Kurt Loring Pflieger was suspended by the Texas Medical Board after staff at two clinics reported that the physician had been acting erratically for much of the year. Reported by MailOnline 2 hours ago.

NASCAR gives 2-race ban to Elliott's crew chief

April 11, 2018, 8:55 am

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Alan Gustafson, the crew chief for Chase Elliott, was fined $50,000 and suspended for two races for an infraction during the Cup Series race at Texas on Sunday. Reported by ESPN 1 hour ago.

Vision Source Member Doctors Outpace Industry in Growth

April 11, 2018, 9:10 am

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Vision Source members realize organic growth at rate 10 times 2017 industry estimates

Kingwood, Texas, April 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vision Source, the nation's premier network of private practice optometrists, reports member practices weighted-average revenue growth rate of 5.7 percent during 20171. "Our members continue to show that independent, 100 percent doctor-owned practices can thrive even when the overall industry growth trend is relatively flat," commented President and CEO of Vision Source, Jim Greenwood.

Greenwood attributes the growth, in part, to member engagement in a number of initiatives, including:· *The Optical Dream^SM*. A program that helps doctors and their staff increase optical sales through the effective presentation and communication of options for second pairs, Rx sunglasses, annual supplies of contact lenses, and more. "More than 1,600 Vision Source practices are currently participating in The Optical Dream, one of the most innovative programs the industry has seen in years," shared Greenwood.
· *Outreach to physician groups, health plans, and managed care organizations.* "Led by our 175 administrators, Vision Source members are demonstrating how optometry contributes to better patient outcomes through early diagnosis of systemic diseases while closing gaps in patient care," said Greenwood. "Nowhere is this more evident than in the care for patients living with diabetes. To best serve the diabetic population, Vision Source has developed protocols for diagnosis, management, collaboration, and reporting to both primary care physicians and other constituents who are striving to improve the health of patient populations in the evolving landscape of fee-for-value reimbursement models." In further support of innovative concepts to improve health, Vision Source will soon launch an exclusive network solution to monitor ocular side effects of medications used to treat chronic diseases in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.
· *Multichannel marketing efforts.* Vision Source members benefit from an industry-exclusive geospatial analysis platform that identifies geographic areas of marketing opportunity for their practices along with consumer demographic profiles and their preferred marketing channels. Using this information, the Vision Source marketing team builds personalized marketing programs using both traditional and digital marketing assets from an online toolkit. In addition, an average of 1,024 potential patients accessed the doctor locator on VisionSource.com every day in 2017.

"The real driving factor in this growth," Greenwood said, "is the entrepreneurial spirit of our 4,600 plus doctors who believe that eye care is best delivered by a family eye doctor, caring for patients as he or she deems best."

To ensure the continued viability of private practice optometry, Vision Source introduced Mentor OD in 2017. This program, led by Vision Source Member Kristin O'Brien, OD, matches optometry students and recent graduates with nearby Vision Source members.

"Our goal is to help the next generation of optometrists gain access to the knowledge that comes with running a successful private practice. The Mentor OD program is a transformative offering for the world of independent optometry," said Program Lead for Vision Source Mentor OD Dr. Kristin O'Brien. "By sharing the value of experience, we can help mentees develop a clear path to private practice and financial success while growing within the profession."

Mentor OD is part of a larger initiative by Vision Source to ensure the sustained success of private practice optometry. "Our latest initiative, to be introduced in May at The Exchange, the annual meeting of Vision Source members, promises to address every stage of the independent optometrist's journey," shared Greenwood. "For the new or recent graduate, we'll offer programs for those seeking to start or acquire a practice. For those doctors looking to pass on their legacy of practice ownership, Vision Source we'll help match them with qualified candidates who share their passion for independent optometry," he added.

About Vision Source

Founded in 1991, Vision Source is North America's largest network of independent optometrists consisting of over 3,300 locations. The clinicians in the Vision Source network enjoy access to newly evolving patient channels, including an expanding list of leading medical groups and integrated health systems with whom Vision Source optometrists collaborate. Additionally, members benefit from a wide range of innovative technologies, practice management tools, strategic marketing, and unsurpassed purchasing power. Leveraging these tools, the clinicians offer comprehensive eye care to their patients delivering an industry leading patient experience. For more information, call 888-558-2020 or visit www.visionsource.com.

1  5.7% weighted average Vision Source member practice growth for 2017 vs Industry growth of 0.5% per VisionWatch’s vision care market growth data (adj. to reflect the revenue mix of a typical optometric practice per the Mgmt. & Bus. Academy (MBA) metrics).

*Attachments*

· VS190.MentorOD.Brochure-v2
· Vision Source Members

CONTACT: Alysia Gradney
Vision Source
1-281-318-7835
agradney@visionsource.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 51 minutes ago.

Apple hit with $0.5 billion bill for patent violation with FaceTime, iMessage and VPN on Demand

April 11, 2018, 9:10 am

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Apple has been ordered to pay $502.6 million in damages after a federal jury in Eastern Texas found that the company had violated patents owned by VirnetX. The intellectual property battle -- relating to FaceTime, iMessage and VPN on Demand -- started back in 2010, with VirnetX claiming that Apple was violating four of its patents pertaining to communication security. Having been slapped with a $0.5 billion bill, it now remains to be seen whether Apple will actually stump up the cash. See also: Apple launches iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition to raise money for HIV/AIDS… [Continue Reading] Reported by betanews 51 minutes ago.

Lawmakers Question Zuckerberg On Facebook's Privacy Settings

April 11, 2018, 9:26 am

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Watch VideoSeveral lawmakers brought up Facebook's privacy settings during Mark Zuckerberg's hearing with the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

"Yes or no, will you commit to changing all the user default settings to minimize to the greatest extent possible the collection in use of users' data?" Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., asked.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, said: "You can pretty well set up your Facebook account to be almost totally private. But you have to really work at it."

*SEE MORE: Lawmakers Seem Very Concerned About A Lack Of Transparency At Facebook*

And Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., asked: "Should Facebook by default protect users' information? Why is it on the user to opt in to privacy and security settings?"

In March, Facebook announced it revamped its settings menu to make it easier for users to control their privacy settings.

But lawmakers said during Wednesday's hearing the company should commit to making those settings even more accessible so users can have more control over their personal information. Reported by Newsy 35 minutes ago.

PDI Acquires Excentus – Expanding Its Retail Enterprise Software Portfolio to Include Loyalty Marketing Solutions

April 11, 2018, 9:05 am

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TEMPLE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#ERP--PDI acquires Excentus – expanding its retail enterprise software portfolio to include loyalty marketing solutions Reported by Business Wire 55 minutes ago.

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Optium Cyber Systems Preparing White Paper for Defense Contract 

April 11, 2018, 9:22 am

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THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, April 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optium Cyber Systems, Inc. (OTC: OCSY) is pleased to announce that it has been requested to prepare a “Cyber Security White Paper” as part of a submission for a formal proposal to the United States Department of Defense. “Through the guidance and leadership of General Mark Beesley, Optium Cyber Systems Inc. has been selected to prepare a white paper on cyber security as part of a formal submission to the US Department of Defense, and or its associated contractor companies,” stated George Rutherford, President of Optium Cyber Systems Inc. “Due to confidentiality and sensitivity of the nature of the engagement we are not able to disclose more at this time,” continued Mr. Rutherford. “This is just the tip of the iceberg with the demand for Optium Cyber Systems Inc. consulting and Cyber Vulnerability Assessments (CVA)”. 

*About Optium Cyber Systems, Inc.*

OCSI has developed a proprietary process to analyze, identify and address cyber security vulnerabilities in an organization’s critical IT infrastructure which is scalable to any size organization in any industry.  OCSI has recently launched in the health care sector, focusing on protecting health care facilities including hospitals, nursing homes and doctor’s offices from cyberthreats such as the manipulation of medical devices or theft of patient records.  OCSI is a publicly traded company having its common shares quoted on the OTC Markets under the symbol "OCSY".

*Contact*

*Investor Relations*

Ten Associates LLC

11529 N. 120th St.

Scottsdale, Arizona

85259 USA

Telephone: 480-326-8577

Contact: Thomas E. Nelson

Email: tenassociates33@gmail.com

*Optium Cyber Systems, Inc.*

8350 Ashlane Way, Suite 104

The Woodlands, Texas

77382 USA

Telephone: 936-559-7407

Web: www.optiumcyber.com

Email: info@optiumcyber.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OCSI4INVESTOR

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OCSI4INVESTOR

*Forward-Looking Statements*

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties. See Optium Cyber Systems, Inc.'s filings with OTC Markets which may identify specific factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

*Safe Harbor Statement*

This release includes forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and reflects management's current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Some of these factors include: general global economic conditions; general industry and market conditions, sector changes and growth rates; uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; increasing competition; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of services; changes in the economy; changes in laws and regulations, including codes and standards, intellectual property rights, and tax matters; or other matters not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Reported by GlobeNewswire 38 minutes ago.

Angie Thomas looks forward to readers' love for 'The Hate U Give' at the North Texas Teen Book Festival

April 11, 2018, 9:28 am

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Reported by DallasNews 32 minutes ago.

Apple Music Hits 40 Million Subscriber Milestone

April 11, 2018, 9:47 am

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Apple Music hit a new milestone this week as it officially reached 40 million paid subscribers across 115 countries, reports Variety. The new number was shared in a memo circulated by Eddy Cue, who also announced the promotion of Oliver Schusser to Apple's new head of Apple Music Worldwide.

Schusser previously served as vice president of Apple Music and International Content and has worked alongside Eddy Cue for several years handling Apple's non-U.S. affairs for Apple Music, the App Store, iTunes Movies and TV shows, iBooks, Podcasts, and more. He is said to have had a key role in Apple's recently announced, but not yet finalized, acquisition of Shazam.
Apple hit its new 40 million subscriber milestone less than a month after iTunes chief Eddy Cue announced 38 million subscribers at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, suggesting the music service is continuing to gain subscribers at a rapid pace.

Apple Music had 27 million subscribers last June, 30 million subscribers last September, 36 million subscribers in February, and 38 million subscribers in March. Adding an additional 2 million subscribers to hit 40 million subscribers in April marks Apple Music's fastest growth yet.

According to Cue, Apple also has an additional eight million people who are testing Apple Music through the three-month free trial that the company offers.

A recent report from The Wall Street Journal has suggested that Apple Music is on track to overtake Spotify in U.S. subscribers as soon as this summer because its five percent growth rate per month outpaces Spotify's two percent growth rate.

Spotify, when it filed for IPO in late February, said that it has 71 million paying subscribers in total along with 159 million monthly active users.
Discuss this article in our forums Reported by MacRumours.com 13 minutes ago.

NASCAR docks Chase Elliott, suspends crew chief for 2 races

April 11, 2018, 9:51 am

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) NASCAR has suspended Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Alan Gustafson for two races after Chase Elliott's car was found to have an illegal rear window during the Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend. Reported by FOX Sports 10 minutes ago.

WeWork opens second downtown Austin co-working office (PHOTOS)

April 12, 2018, 9:22 am

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Now that WeWork Cos. has just opened its fourth Austin location — and has a fifth in the works after only entering the Central Texas market three years ago — one might think the New York-based co-working company would take a breather. Think again. The paint has barely dried on the first of four floors WeWork has leased at the downtown Chase Bank Tower on West Sixth Street — already home to more than 200 clients since it opened April 2 — and already more deals are in discussions across the… Reported by bizjournals 1 hour ago.

Texas Republican walks a fine line in trying to tame Trump on trade

April 12, 2018, 10:04 am

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Reported by DallasNews 22 minutes ago.

Op-Ed: Museums are crucial to Houston's cultural development

April 12, 2018, 9:49 am

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Houston is hosting the Annual Meeting of the Texas Association of Museums this month, and the 2018 theme, "Taking the Pulse of Museums: Healthy Enough to Stay the Course," ties in with one of Houston’s major industries: the medical community. The conference brings together hundreds of professionals from all over Texas for educational sessions, workshops and networking events. The theme focuses on the health and sustainability of not only the cultural institutions, but the staff working to provide… Reported by bizjournals 38 minutes ago.

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BB&T closes Allentown call center, eliminating 50 jobs

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A bank spokesman said the work conducted in the Allentown call center would be transferred to BB&T’s five other call centers in North Carolina, Texas and Florida. Reported by bizjournals 38 minutes ago.

California airline to relocate headquarters to DFW

April 12, 2018, 10:00 am

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JetSuite Inc., a Southern California-based charter airline, is moving its headquarters to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Alex Wilcox, the CEO of JetSuite, dropped that fact in an interview with Bloomberg after the company received an investment from Qatar Airways earlier this week. The company plans to move this summer and no site has been selected yet, Wilcox told Bloomberg. He added that Texas offers lower costs and a larger aviation infrastructure thanks to Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:… Reported by bizjournals 26 minutes ago.

Conservative group claims university banned them for fliers allegedly exposing anti-Semitism on campus

April 12, 2018, 10:14 am

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The Freedom Center was banned from a Texas university after posting flyers exposing anti-Semitism on campus, according to the group. Reported by FOXNews.com 12 minutes ago.

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April 12, 2018, 9:49 am

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A million aggressive bees threaten a neighborhood in El Paso, Texas, officials said. Reported by FOXNews.com 38 minutes ago.

23 Italian Wine Ambassadors and Two Italian Wine Experts Certified at the Vinitaly International Academy Verona Edition

April 12, 2018, 9:53 am

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For the fourth time since its launch, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) held its Certification Course in Verona, Italy, and welcomed 23 new Italian Wine Ambassadors (IWA ) and 2 Italian Wine Experts (IWE). Based on the average score of the class, with 2 students scoring 91 and 92 for the first time, this VIA Certification Course was characterized by the highest calibre of students so far.

VERONA, Italy (PRWEB) April 12, 2018

After touring also two American cities (New York City, San Francisco) and 3 Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu), the Vinitaly International Academy Certification Course came back to where it all started in 2015: Verona. This time from April 6th to 10th, VIA welcomed 58 wine professionals at wine2digital, Vinitaly International’s headquarters located in Veronafiere’s PalaExpo. Coming from more than 20 different countries, from the Czech Republic to Mexico, students were all brought together by the same passion for Italian wine.

The 2018 Verona edition saw 23 new Italian Wine Ambassadors and 2 new Italian Wine Experts entering the Vinitaly International Academy family. Based on the average score of the class, with 2 students scoring 91 and 92 (out of 100) for the first time, the outcomes of this last VIA Certification Course were the best so far. This Verona edition represented the perfect opportunity to gain extensive knowledge on the Italian wine world, directly from Italy; scheduled in the lead-up to Vinitaly, the Verona edition gives candidates the chance to fully immerse themselves in Italian wine and the business around it. With the level of the candidates getting higher and higher edition after edition, VIA can now count on the support of 11 Italian Wine Experts and 151 Italian Wine Ambassadors. Sue Tolson, Managing Editor at WineSofa and one of the two newly-proclaimed IWEs commented, “Really great experience! You come here thinking you know quite a lot about Italian wine and Italian grapes and then you realize you know actually nothing. Ian really opens your eyes on all the fascinating varieties of the country and gives you really interesting anecdotes to help you remember, so it’s really good fun. I would really recommend it to anybody who would like to know more about Italian wine, but I also have to say is that you really need to study for it!”

With 590 wine grape varieties officially recognised (one quarter of the world’s total) and over 500 wine regions, the Italian wine world is, without any doubt, difficult to explore. Even for the Masters of Wine or the Masters Sommelier, the Italian wine scenario can remain some kind of a riddle. Created to fulfil the ever-growing demand for specific knowledge and training on Italian wines, VIA Certification Courses function as the perfect answer for wine professionals interested in learning how to speak of Italian wine in a unified, organised, and thorough manner. Jenna Briscoe, general manager at Café Medina, Vancouver, and one of the 23 new IWAs certified on April 10th, stated that the course just proves how the journey into learning about Italian wine is unending: “You have to be systematic if you intend to just deal with the pure volume of information, with respect to studying, one should start breaking down grape by grape and then drawing the parallels between DOC and regions in Italy.”

Under the leadership of its Managing Director Stevie Kim, VIA is an educational initiative aimed at simplifying the vast diversity of Italian grape varietals by explaining, divulging and broadcasting the characteristics of Italian wine around the world. Conducted by Dr. Ian D’Agata (Scientific Director), the VIA Certification Course is a five-day journey through the vast subject of Italian grape varieties and wines. In the first four days, students focus on theory and tastings. On the fifth and last day, they take a challenging written exam to become “Italian Wine Ambassadors”. In order to become “Italian Wine Experts” (the higher certification) participants who score at least 90/100 in the written test also have to take an oral exam consisting of a blind tasting. Held in English, what VIA offers is a touring course with editions in the US, China, Italy and Hong Kong.

The next edition of the Certification Course will be held in Hong Kong, in November 2018. Registrations are open and additional information can be requested at via@vinitalytour.com.

Full list of the 23 newly-certified IWAs and 2 IWEs from the 2018 Verona Edition

Italian Wine Expert:
Marcia J. Hamm, DipWSET, Store Manager at Hicks Fine Wines
Sue Tolson, Wine writer, translator and educator. Managing Editor at WineSofa

Italian Wine Ambassadors:· Stephanie Gut, Sommelier at The French Café
· Srdan Lisac, Wine Educator at Biotechnicon
· Andrea Eby, Educator/Buyer/Assistant Manager at Banville & Jones Wine Co.
· Xiaolei Duan, General Manager at The Wine Story Co Dalian
· Julie Garton, Wine Writer
· Tommasella Perniciaro, Self-employed at The Good Wine Habit
· Matthew Landry, General Manager/Sommelier at Stable House Bistro
· Jenna Briscoe, General Manager at Café Medina
· Christopher Poon, Senior Consultant, Information Risk Management at Manulife
· Erik Klein, Export Manager at Freelancer
· Yanhua Yang (Jack), Wine Educator at COFCO W&W International LTD CO
· Faye MacLachlan, Regional Sales MGR Grape Brands/Sommelier at Langdon Hall
· Fangqian Tang, Export Manager at S.A.R.L Pont Vin
· Guido Walter, Owner/CEO at Walter & Soon - Weinhandlungen, Fritz Müller
· Pedro Balesteros Torres MW, Master of Wine
· Niklas Bergqvist, Wine Educator, Sommelier and Wine Writer at Restaurangakademien, Vinkällaren Grappe
· David Furka, Wine Journalist at Vinoport Online Wine Magazine
· Samuel Melanson, Wine Educator at The Sommelier Factory
· George Caflish, Wine Educator and Attorney at Texas Wine School
· Blagoy Kuzmanski, Sommelier at 67 Pall Mall
· Bruno Vianna, President at Brazilian Association of Sommeliers - Campinas
· Jay Hutchinson, Wine Advisor at Soutirage
· Bin Zhang, Commercial Manager at Accenture

About
The grand Vinitaly 2018 will be held from April 15th to the 18th. Every year, Vinitaly counts more than 4,000 exhibitors on a 100,000+ square meter area and 130,000 visitors from over 140 different countries with more than 30,000 top international buyers. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine (https://www.vinitalyinternational.com/?page_id=646) “Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers,” which will be held on the 14th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly will unite international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly International travels to several countries such as Russia, China, USA and Hong Kong thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the third edition of its Certification Course and today counts 151 Italian Wine Ambassadors and 11 Italian Wine Experts. Reported by PRWeb 33 minutes ago.