Loveland – October 14, 2026 -- ATS Energy has closed a new financing round to fund commercial production of its Solid-State Generator (SSG), with the first commercial unit targeted for deployment by mid-2027. The Colorado company did not disclose the size of the round or the investors involved.

Capital targets thermoelectric cartridge production and the first commercial unit

Proceeds will fund production of ATS's proprietary thermoelectric cartridges, the core component of the SSG, and completion of the first commercial unit. The generator converts industrial waste heat directly into electricity without turbines or moving parts. ATS says the financing will shorten the time needed to produce and deliver later installations. The company aims to begin revenue-generating operations in 2027.

Richmond, Va. – October 14, 2026 -- Owens & Minor has launched ARMOR-FLEX* Sterilization Wrap, a heavyweight wrap developed in-house and made in Lexington, N.C., that the company says is stronger, more flexible and more bacteria-resistant than traditional heavyweight wraps without adding weight.

The product joins the Halyard® portfolio and targets sterility breaches that can compromise patient safety and cause delays in the operating room.

ASSURE-DRY technology targets slow-drying, hard-to-handle heavyweight wraps

Owens & Minor says many heavyweight wraps rely on bulk for protection. That added weight can make them harder to work with, slower to dry and more prone to incidents that may affect sterility. ARMOR-FLEX* instead combines patent-pending ASSURE-DRY* moisture management technology with proprietary manufacturing techniques.

Washington – October 14, 2026 -- The National Park Foundation (NPF) has awarded more than $1 million in grants to support over 20 projects that bring immersive science learning to middle and high school students in national parks across the U.S.

The grants fund NPF's Field Science program for the 2026-27 school year. Projects combine classroom-aligned engagements, extended in-park experiences, out-of-school-time programs and community involvement. NPF developed them with parks, local schools, community centers and science education programs.

NEW YORK – October 14, 2026 -- More than 100 specialty practices running ModMed EMA now use Medsender to manage incoming referrals, 16 months after the fax and referral management platform launched its EMA integration.

Referral leakage costs practices up to 10% of revenue

Specialists receive more than 100 million referral requests a year in the United States, yet only half are completed, according to Medsender. The company says mismanaged referrals can cost practices up to 10% of their revenue, and that most practices cannot measure the loss until a system tracks it.

United States – October 14, 2026 -- Excess Share Insurance Corporation (ESI) now covers 41 states and the District of Columbia and serves more than 350 credit unions after entering South Dakota, Alaska and New Mexico.

ESI adds three states to its national footprint

American Share Insurance (ASI) and its wholly owned subsidiary ESI are establishing a presence in the three states. Theresa Mason, President and CEO of both ASI and ESI, said the companies aim to build lasting relationships with credit unions in the new markets.

ESI covers balances above the $250,000 primary insurance limit

ASI is a member-owned share guaranty corporation licensed by the Ohio Department of Insurance. It provides up to $250,000 of primary share insurance per member account. ESI, which has operated since 1993, lets qualifying credit unions, both federally and privately insured, give members coverage above that level.

Pittsburgh – October 14, 2026 -- Allegheny Health Network (AHN) has appointed surgical oncologist Nipun B. Merchant, MD, as chair of its Department of Surgery and its first surgeon-in-chief, effective February 2027.

New surgeon-in-chief role centralizes oversight of network surgery

The newly created position makes Merchant the senior physician executive for AHN's surgical enterprise, with strategic oversight of surgical services across the network's hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. As chair, he will lead the department's clinical, academic and strategic growth, including faculty recruitment, expansion of advanced surgical programs, education and research. He will work with physicians, nurses and operational leaders on quality, safety and patient experience.

AHN says the role reflects a push toward a more integrated model of surgical care across its growing network.

Bloomington, Minn. – October 14, 2026 -- Toro will show its first dedicated stand-on blower, the AeroMaster, which the company says delivers up to 30% more airflow than competitors at 8,100 effective CFM. The company will also show a redesigned GrandStand HDM+ stand-on mower at a lower price at Equip Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, October 20-23.

Toro is aiming both platforms at landscape contractors who need to do more with fewer operators and are under pressure from rising operating costs.

AeroMaster turbine blower targets wet debris and large cleanups

The AeroMaster is built on Toro's turbine technology. The company says its 8,100 effective CFM moves wet, stuck-on debris, which suits spring and fall cleanups and post-storm work. The 30% airflow advantage is a manufacturer claim, marked with an asterisk in the release; the source gives no substantiation.

Cambridge – October 14, 2026 -- Bulgin, an Infinite Electronics company, has added hybrid circular connectors to its 6000 Series Buccaneer range, combining two 16 A power contacts and 3 A signal contacts in one IP68-rated housing.

Hybrid design removes the need for separate power and signal cable routing

The 6000 Series Hybrid Buccaneer is aimed at smaller devices such as test and measurement equipment, sensors and control systems. Integrating both connection types in a single interface cuts space requirements and eliminates separate cable routing for power and signal.

Two central power contacts are rated at 16 A. Designers can choose from three configurations with two, four or six 3 A signal contacts.

Mark Berry, VP of Product & Portfolio Management at Infinite Electronics, said the company integrated high-current power and signal channels into one sealed interface to deliver a smaller footprint without compromising performance.

Atlanta – October 14, 2026 -- Slutty Vegan has converted its Fulton Street restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, into its first operating franchised location, handing ownership to Destiny Correa, the general manager who ran the site for nearly five years.

Founder gifts the store and waives two fees

Founder and CEO Pinky Cole Hayes gifted Correa the store outright. Slutty Vegan also waived both the initial franchise fee and the recurring marketing fee that new franchise partners typically pay. The brand cited Correa's years-long commitment as the reason.

Correa helped build Fulton Street into one of the brand's flagship restaurants. The location now operates under her ownership.

"I walked into this store five years ago as a manager, and now I'm walking back in as the owner," Correa said.

Houston – October 14, 2026 -- Kreative Media, a Houston-headquartered digital marketing agency with locations across Texas, launched the Kreative Velocity System, a framework that runs paid media, social, search and website work from one shared data foundation.

Four engines split the system across paid, social, search and web

The methodology operates through four interconnected engines: