Backed by Guaranteed Rate, Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners, @Properties, Camber Creek, Garland Capital, Property Tax Appeal Startup Poised for Fast Growth
CHICAGO (October 3, 2016) – TurboAppeal, a leading technology firm that helps consumers and businesses appeal property taxes, announces today it has secured a $4 million Series A round led by Guaranteed Rate, Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners, Garland Capital and Camber Creek. Also participating in this round were Hyde Park Venture Partners, @properties and other strategic real estate technology investors.
“We have been very fortunate to have the support from these outstanding business visionaries and investors,” said Badal Shah, co-founder and CEO of TurboAppeal. “We are honored they believe in our vision of what we can accomplish in this industry.”
With its proprietary software and strategic partnerships, TurboAppeal is disrupting the multibillion-dollar real estate industry by combining big-data and property tax appeals. This funding round will help further TurboAppeal’s national expansion, and grow both its consumer and commercial lines of business by developing new products and services.
“We have seen first-hand how TurboAppeal’s technology and service are game-changers in the real estate industry,” said Thaddeus Wong, co-founder of Chicago-based @properties, the 11th largest brokerage firm in the U.S. by sales volume. “We’re excited to be a part of the team as they continue to grow and innovate within the industry.”
In 2016, TurboAppeal has opened an additional office in Miami and announced a strategic partnership with Paradigm Tax Group, the leading national real estate consulting firm, to revolutionize the commercial property tax appeal offering.
“We believe TurboAppeal has the ability to help so many property owners across America tackle a problem that has plagued them for years,” said Co-founder and Managing Director of Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners, Phil Nadel. “We’re looking forward to helping them expand.”
For more information on TurboAppeal, please visit www.turboappeal.com, or contact Anna Niesen at 312-517-7023 or aniesen@turboappeal.com.
About TurboAppeal
Founded in 2015, TurboAppeal provides best in class technology combined with exceptional customer service to make the process of appealing property taxes simple. The driving force behind TurboAppeal’s success has been the data-driven approach to ensuring the most accurate evidence to support an appeal. With offices in Chicago, Denver and Miami, TurboAppeal is currently expanding nationally.
About @properties
@properties is the No. 1 independent residential brokerage firm in Illinois and one of the top 11 residential brokers in the U.S. by sales volume. @properties has more than 2,000 licensed brokers in 23 offices throughout downtown Chicago, surrounding suburbs, southwest Michigan, and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
About Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners
Co-founded by Phil Nadel and Barbara Corcoran, of ABC's hit TV show Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners allows investors an opportunity to invest alongside Barbara in innovative, post-revenue companies led by dynamic, growth-oriented entrepreneurs.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Monday, September 26, 2016
Rick Bayless sells Frontera's packaged goods business to ConAgra
Chicago chef Rick Bayless has sold the packaged foods businesses of Frontera Foods, Inc. and Red Fork LLC, including the Frontera, Red Fork and Salpica brands to ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG).
Frontera’s premium salsa, sauces, snacks and meals feature the distinct flavors of Mexico. Red Fork is known for its premium American cooking sauces and Salpica is a unique Tex-Mex salsa line.
Bayless, owner of the highly-acclaimed Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and Xoco restaurants in Chicago, established Frontera Foods in 1996 with partner and CEO Manny Valdes. Today, the company makes more than 50 regional Mexican food products using premium ingredients and time-honored cooking methods.
Frontera products are handmade from fresh ingredients. Frontera’s Chipotle Salsa, made from fresh fire-roasted tomatillos, roasted garlic, onions and chipotle chiles, introduced this country to the true flavor of smoky chipotle chiles. It won a Sofi Award in 1998 and remains a top seller.
Frontera produces a wide variety of gourmet Mexican products including salsas, taco skillet sauces, slow cook sauces, enchilada sauces, marinades, chili mixes, guacamole mixes, hot sauces and Non-GMO Project Verified stone-ground corn tortilla chips. Frontera products are available nationally through gourmet, specialty and natural food stores. The website www.fronterakitchens.com features recipes for gourmet Mexican meals made easy.
In 2010, Frontera launched the first-ever, fresh-packed seasoning sauces in convenient 8-ounce pouches for quick and easy skillet tacos, fajitas and enchiladas. The skillet taco seasoning sauces were quickly followed by gourmet Mole Sauce, Barbacoa Slow-Cook Sauce and Carnitas Slow-Cook Sauce in the innovative 8-ounce pouch packaging.
Frontera received two 2011 Sofi Award nominations for the Key Lime Cilantro Taco Skillet Sauce and the seasonal Chipotle Pumpkin Salsa. In 2016, Frontera received a Sofi nomination for Frontera Beef Barbacoa Slow Cook Sauce.
ConAgra's announcement stated that Frontera founders Bayless and Valdes will continue to actively support the business.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition does not include any restaurant assets, including Frontera-branded restaurants.
Frontera’s premium salsa, sauces, snacks and meals feature the distinct flavors of Mexico. Red Fork is known for its premium American cooking sauces and Salpica is a unique Tex-Mex salsa line.
Bayless, owner of the highly-acclaimed Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and Xoco restaurants in Chicago, established Frontera Foods in 1996 with partner and CEO Manny Valdes. Today, the company makes more than 50 regional Mexican food products using premium ingredients and time-honored cooking methods.
Frontera products are handmade from fresh ingredients. Frontera’s Chipotle Salsa, made from fresh fire-roasted tomatillos, roasted garlic, onions and chipotle chiles, introduced this country to the true flavor of smoky chipotle chiles. It won a Sofi Award in 1998 and remains a top seller.
Frontera produces a wide variety of gourmet Mexican products including salsas, taco skillet sauces, slow cook sauces, enchilada sauces, marinades, chili mixes, guacamole mixes, hot sauces and Non-GMO Project Verified stone-ground corn tortilla chips. Frontera products are available nationally through gourmet, specialty and natural food stores. The website www.fronterakitchens.com features recipes for gourmet Mexican meals made easy.
In 2010, Frontera launched the first-ever, fresh-packed seasoning sauces in convenient 8-ounce pouches for quick and easy skillet tacos, fajitas and enchiladas. The skillet taco seasoning sauces were quickly followed by gourmet Mole Sauce, Barbacoa Slow-Cook Sauce and Carnitas Slow-Cook Sauce in the innovative 8-ounce pouch packaging.
Frontera received two 2011 Sofi Award nominations for the Key Lime Cilantro Taco Skillet Sauce and the seasonal Chipotle Pumpkin Salsa. In 2016, Frontera received a Sofi nomination for Frontera Beef Barbacoa Slow Cook Sauce.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition does not include any restaurant assets, including Frontera-branded restaurants.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Tribune Publishing and 3 other media companies launch joint marketing firm
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - April 14, 2016) - Four leading media companies -- Gannett Co., Inc., Hearst, McClatchy and Tribune Publishing Co. -- today announced the formation of Nucleus Marketing Solutions. This premier marketing solutions provider will connect national advertisers to the top U.S. local publishers' highly engaged audiences across existing and emerging digital platforms.
Former Mashable CRO Seth Rogin, whose career has been built on multi-platform brand growth and digital media leadership, has been named CEO of Nucleus. Rogin has experience in mission-based media and will bring his well-known digital expertise to launch Nucleus.
In addition to the news organizations owned by the founding companies, the network expects to include as many as 11 other affiliate partners across the top U.S. advertising markets.
Nucleus will reach over 70% of consumers in the top 30 U.S. advertising markets and provide clients with integrated solutions that deliver on their marketing goals. Digitally, the network will reach 168 million unique visitors. It is a true national content marketing network for integrated multimedia solutions, offering advertisers a brand-safe, easy-to-access and scalable distribution alternative.
Tony Hunter, Tribune Publishing's President of National Revenue and Strategic Initiatives, who will serve as Chairman of Nucleus, said, "Seth's experience as an innovative, transformational force at both The New York Times and Mashable will suit him well in repositioning our industry with marketers. His thought leading digital expertise, and marketing acumen made him our clear choice."
"My lifelong passion has been to support journalism that matters by helping brands connect with the most desirable audiences in environments of high integrity," Rogin said. "I'm humbled by the opportunity and eager to bring startup drive to this important enterprise. No longer will advertisers have to choose between trust and scale. Nucleus can provide it all in one simple solution."
Rogin was most recently Mashable's Chief Revenue Officer, successfully driving the rapid growth of a diverse revenue portfolio there beginning in June 2013. In his time at Mashable, in addition to sudden, large scale revenue growth, Mashable closed three rounds of venture investor funding and expanded around the nation and the globe.
Previously, he worked for The New York Times for 13 years in various positions, including Vice President of Advertising from 2006 until 2013.
A leader in media across platforms, Rogin is often called upon to speak at conferences around the world, at universities, and to the staff of leading media and consumer brands. He serves as a judge for The Festival of Media Awards, Global and Middle East. He was named "One of the 30 best people in advertising to follow on Twitter" by Business Insider. He is a member of Media Industry Newsletter's Media Sales Hall of Fame. Rogin sits on the Board of Directors of The Ad Council, as well as the Advisory Boards of The Jerry Garcia Foundation and Advertising Week New York and Europe.
Former Mashable CRO Seth Rogin, whose career has been built on multi-platform brand growth and digital media leadership, has been named CEO of Nucleus. Rogin has experience in mission-based media and will bring his well-known digital expertise to launch Nucleus.
In addition to the news organizations owned by the founding companies, the network expects to include as many as 11 other affiliate partners across the top U.S. advertising markets.
Nucleus will reach over 70% of consumers in the top 30 U.S. advertising markets and provide clients with integrated solutions that deliver on their marketing goals. Digitally, the network will reach 168 million unique visitors. It is a true national content marketing network for integrated multimedia solutions, offering advertisers a brand-safe, easy-to-access and scalable distribution alternative.
Tony Hunter, Tribune Publishing's President of National Revenue and Strategic Initiatives, who will serve as Chairman of Nucleus, said, "Seth's experience as an innovative, transformational force at both The New York Times and Mashable will suit him well in repositioning our industry with marketers. His thought leading digital expertise, and marketing acumen made him our clear choice."
"My lifelong passion has been to support journalism that matters by helping brands connect with the most desirable audiences in environments of high integrity," Rogin said. "I'm humbled by the opportunity and eager to bring startup drive to this important enterprise. No longer will advertisers have to choose between trust and scale. Nucleus can provide it all in one simple solution."
Rogin was most recently Mashable's Chief Revenue Officer, successfully driving the rapid growth of a diverse revenue portfolio there beginning in June 2013. In his time at Mashable, in addition to sudden, large scale revenue growth, Mashable closed three rounds of venture investor funding and expanded around the nation and the globe.
Previously, he worked for The New York Times for 13 years in various positions, including Vice President of Advertising from 2006 until 2013.
A leader in media across platforms, Rogin is often called upon to speak at conferences around the world, at universities, and to the staff of leading media and consumer brands. He serves as a judge for The Festival of Media Awards, Global and Middle East. He was named "One of the 30 best people in advertising to follow on Twitter" by Business Insider. He is a member of Media Industry Newsletter's Media Sales Hall of Fame. Rogin sits on the Board of Directors of The Ad Council, as well as the Advisory Boards of The Jerry Garcia Foundation and Advertising Week New York and Europe.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Woodridge-based Navitas System named one of 7 leading vendors in Technavio report
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The technology research and advisory firm Technavio has announced the top seven leading vendors in its recent global golf cart battery market report.
Navitas System was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois. The company designs, develops, and manufactures energy storage products and energy enabled system solutions for industrial, commercial, and government agency customers.
In October 2014, the company received a contract from Alion Science and Technology (a technology company that delivers operational support and technical expertise to the Department of Defense, commercial customers, and civilian government agencies) worth $1.55 million for the development of the Li-ion 6T battery system that is used in military applications.
Competitive vendor landscape
The global golf cart battery market is highly diverse, with leading vendors providing cost-effective lead-acid batteries with limited features and functionalities. Overall, the market is highly competitive. Intense competition and rapid advances in technology are the key factors that may affect market growth. However, the declining price of lead-acid batteries and end-user preferences for other advanced batteries will also present significant challenges to lead-acid battery vendors.
“The golf course industry is seeing a transformation with the use of the latest technologies. To increase a golfer’s preference and attract new customers, golf clubs are integrating the latest models of golf carts. For instance, the Yamaha Golf-Car Company launched its Drive AC golf cart in January 2015 during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando,” says Vishu Rai, a lead analyst at Technavio for energy storage.
The other companies listed among the top seven golf cart battery market vendors are:
Axion Power International
Axion Power International, formerly known as Tamboril, was established in 2003 through a reverse acquisition with Tamboril Cigar. It is headquartered in New Castle, Pennsylvania.
The company offers uninterruptible power supply (UPS) batteries under the brand name SureEnergy. These batteries are used in emergency lighting systems, hospitals, data centers, medical systems, federal data systems, network operation centers, reservation systems, banks and financial markets, emergency response facilities, manufacturing facilities, and industrial process controls, and Internet service providers.
Crown Battery
Crown Battery was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Fremont, California. It is one of the leading battery manufacturing companies.
East Penn Manufacturing
East Penn Manufacturing was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Pennsylvania. The company offers lead-acid batteries, wire and cable products, and battery accessories.
In July 2015, East Penn Manufacturing received $25,000 from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania to conduct a comprehensive analysis of recycling considerations at its Lyon Station facility. This relates to the growing need for new battery technology to cope with the high demand for HEVs.
Exide Technologies
Exide Technologies was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Milton, Georgia. The company serves the complex stored energy needs of customers worldwide. It provides services and systems to enhance vehicle performance and fleet utilization with an aim to reduce the risk of temporary power supply interruptions.
Exide Technologies is one of the leading stored electrical energy solution providers, with subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. The company operates through its 33 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries. It has partnerships with OEMs and serves the spare parts market for industrial and transportation applications.
EnerSys
EnerSys was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Pennsylvania. The company manufactures, markets, and distributes industrial batteries and related products such as chargers, outdoor cabinet enclosures, power equipment, and battery accessories. It offers related after-market and customer support services for industrial batteries.
EnerSys markets and sells its products to more than 10,000 customers in over 100 countries via a network of distributors, independent representatives, and its internal sales force.
Trojan Battery
Trojan Battery was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California. It is a manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries. The company offers a broad range of batteries such as deep-cycle flooded, deep-cycle AGM, and gel batteries. These batteries are used in golf carts and utility, aerial work platforms, commercial trucking, marine, floor machines, RVs, material handling applications, and renewable energy systems.
The company operates through its manufacturing plants in California and Georgia. As of 2015, the company had over 600 employees.
About Technavio
Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.
Navitas System was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois. The company designs, develops, and manufactures energy storage products and energy enabled system solutions for industrial, commercial, and government agency customers.
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| Image credit: Navitas System |
Competitive vendor landscape
The global golf cart battery market is highly diverse, with leading vendors providing cost-effective lead-acid batteries with limited features and functionalities. Overall, the market is highly competitive. Intense competition and rapid advances in technology are the key factors that may affect market growth. However, the declining price of lead-acid batteries and end-user preferences for other advanced batteries will also present significant challenges to lead-acid battery vendors.
“The golf course industry is seeing a transformation with the use of the latest technologies. To increase a golfer’s preference and attract new customers, golf clubs are integrating the latest models of golf carts. For instance, the Yamaha Golf-Car Company launched its Drive AC golf cart in January 2015 during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando,” says Vishu Rai, a lead analyst at Technavio for energy storage.
The other companies listed among the top seven golf cart battery market vendors are:
Axion Power International
Axion Power International, formerly known as Tamboril, was established in 2003 through a reverse acquisition with Tamboril Cigar. It is headquartered in New Castle, Pennsylvania.
The company offers uninterruptible power supply (UPS) batteries under the brand name SureEnergy. These batteries are used in emergency lighting systems, hospitals, data centers, medical systems, federal data systems, network operation centers, reservation systems, banks and financial markets, emergency response facilities, manufacturing facilities, and industrial process controls, and Internet service providers.
Crown Battery
Crown Battery was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Fremont, California. It is one of the leading battery manufacturing companies.
East Penn Manufacturing
East Penn Manufacturing was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Pennsylvania. The company offers lead-acid batteries, wire and cable products, and battery accessories.
In July 2015, East Penn Manufacturing received $25,000 from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania to conduct a comprehensive analysis of recycling considerations at its Lyon Station facility. This relates to the growing need for new battery technology to cope with the high demand for HEVs.
Exide Technologies
Exide Technologies was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Milton, Georgia. The company serves the complex stored energy needs of customers worldwide. It provides services and systems to enhance vehicle performance and fleet utilization with an aim to reduce the risk of temporary power supply interruptions.
Exide Technologies is one of the leading stored electrical energy solution providers, with subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. The company operates through its 33 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries. It has partnerships with OEMs and serves the spare parts market for industrial and transportation applications.
EnerSys
EnerSys was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Pennsylvania. The company manufactures, markets, and distributes industrial batteries and related products such as chargers, outdoor cabinet enclosures, power equipment, and battery accessories. It offers related after-market and customer support services for industrial batteries.
EnerSys markets and sells its products to more than 10,000 customers in over 100 countries via a network of distributors, independent representatives, and its internal sales force.
Trojan Battery
Trojan Battery was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California. It is a manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries. The company offers a broad range of batteries such as deep-cycle flooded, deep-cycle AGM, and gel batteries. These batteries are used in golf carts and utility, aerial work platforms, commercial trucking, marine, floor machines, RVs, material handling applications, and renewable energy systems.
The company operates through its manufacturing plants in California and Georgia. As of 2015, the company had over 600 employees.
About Technavio
Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.