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The loan funds horizontal and vertical construction for phase one, a 302-unit multifamily community situated on 12 acres, and recapitalizes the remaining land.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Zachary Streit, Founder and President of Priority Capital Advisory, announced the closing of a $174 million loan on behalf of the ownership for Blosser Ranch, a 160-acre master-planned development in Santa Maria, California, the largest city in Santa Barbara County. The financing funds both horizontal and vertical construction for the first phase, a 302-unit, three-story garden-style multifamily community situated on 12 acres, and recapitalizes the remaining land within the entire development, positioning the borrower for the project’s six future subphases.

The apartments will feature studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom floorplans ranging from 490 square feet (sf) to 1,188 sf. The Class A community will offer a robust amenity program, including a pool and spa, clubhouse, fitness center, business center, outdoor BBQs and firepits, pet park, and playground. This first phase is now underway, with anticipated completion in summer 2027.

“Closing a construction loan that also recapitalizes land, especially for the inaugural phase of a master plan, requires creativity, persistence, and the right project, sponsor and capital partners,” said Streit. “This was a complex, highly structured transaction, and I am proud to deliver liquidity and certainty of execution for a project that will truly be place-making for Santa Barbara County. I am looking forward to seeing Blosser Ranch come to life.”

The financing was arranged through a structured capital stack comprised of:

• $62.5 million mezzanine financing, originated by Lionheart Strategic Management, LLC, led by Andy Klein, Managing Director and Co-Head of Investments

• $111.5 million senior construction financing, originated by Centennial Bank, led by Garron Robinson, Managing Director

Upon full buildout, Blosser Ranch is planned to include approximately 1,500 residential units (single-family and multifamily), retail, a public park, a school, and a water retention basin, helping meet long-term housing and community needs in a growing coastal California market.

Santa Maria has experienced meaningful population growth, yet new housing deliveries have remained limited. From 2010 to 2020, the city’s population grew by more than 10,000, while just 1,102 new housing units were delivered over that same period, according to CoStar. With ongoing growth and increasing demand from higher-wage employment sectors, the market has a need for high-quality, for-rent housing, and Blosser Ranch is positioned to address that pent-up demand.

Santa Maria anchors a fast-growing regional employment base. The area’s largest employer is Vandenberg Space Force Base, located approximately 20 minutes from the site and an epicenter for activity tied to the expanding commercial space economy. The region is also a major agricultural hub, with annual crop value exceeding $1.4 billion. Santa Maria benefits from proximity to downtown Santa Barbara, Montecito, and the Santa Barbara Wine Country, including renowned destinations such as Solvang, Los Olivos, and the Santa Ynez Valley.

Milestone Closing for Priority Capital Advisory
Streit noted that this transaction represents Priority Capital Advisory’s largest closing to date since launching last year. Since inception in mid-2024, PCA has closed more than $800 million of debt financing across 29 transactions, building a reputation for moving quickly, working relentlessly, and delivering tailored liquidity solutions for sophisticated sponsors in challenging capital markets.

About Priority Capital Advisory
Priority Capital Advisory is a premier boutique debt and equity advisor serving middle-market and institutional real estate sponsors. The firm specializes in highly structured finance solutions across the capital stack for transactions ranging from $20 million to $200 million. PCA sources capital from a diverse set of providers including debt funds, life companies, commercial banks, investment banks, agencies, CMBS lenders, mortgage REITs, and pension funds. For more information, visit www.prioritycapitaladvisory.com.

Julius Frago
Priority Capital Advisory
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Expanding proven caregiving support into Canada to help employers and insurers improve productivity, retention, and employee wellbeing.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Mellie, a caregiver support solution that combines expert care coordination with a revolutionary platform for employers and insurers, today announced its international expansion, extending services to employees and families in Canada. This milestone builds on Mellie’s successful U.S. integration, where employers have seen high utilization and overwhelmingly positive employee feedback. In response, multinational clients are now asking Mellie to expand globally to ensure their Canadian workforces have access to the same high-quality caregiving resources as their U.S. colleagues.

Addressing Canada’s Caregiving Workforce Challenge —
Caregiving is a critical issue for Canadian employers. Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians provide unpaid care to a family member or friend (Statistics Canada, 2022), often while maintaining full-time jobs. This dual responsibility is estimated to cost Canadian businesses more than $5 billion annually in lost productivity and absenteeism. With an aging population and increasing rates of chronic conditions, the demand for effective caregiving support is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

Mellie’s expansion into Canada directly addresses these challenges, helping employers reduce absence and disability claims while improving employee well-being and retention.

Bringing Canadian Caregiving Expertise and Bilingual Support —
Following high employee utilization and measurable outcomes in the U.S., employers are eager to bring Mellie’s caregiving solution to more of their workforce, expanding access across borders while maintaining the same high-quality experience their U.S. teams have come to value. To meet client demand, Mellie expanded its platform with Canadian French language support and works with care coordinators who bring deep expertise in Canada-specific caregiving services and systems, ensuring equitable access for the country’s diverse workforce.

In addition, Mellie has also expanded U.S. services to include Spanish, enabling employers to better serve the country’s large Spanish-speaking population. Together, these steps reflect Mellie’s strategy to deliver inclusive caregiver support that meets the cultural and linguistic needs of modern workforces.

About Mellie —
Mellie is a caregiver support solution purpose-built for the workplace and insurance ecosystem. Through a combination of expert care coordinators and a mobile-first platform, Mellie helps employees manage eldercare, children with special needs, and chronic conditions—reducing absence and disability claims while improving employee well-being. Mellie partners with employers, group and individual benefit insurers, and consultants across North America.

Chad Baldwin
Mellie
chad.baldwin@mellie.com
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MRSB helps Camp Lejeune veterans and families secure over $12M in settlements for toxic water exposure. They offer experienced military-informed advocacy.

CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA, VA, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — For decades, veterans and families stationed at Camp Lejeune faced a battle they never signed up for, one marked by mysterious illnesses, unanswered questions, and rising medical bills tied to toxic water exposure. Today, Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban (MRSB) stands at the forefront of the legal fight to hold the government accountable.

With over 1,000 Camp Lejeune clients represented and more than $12 million in settlements already recovered from the Department of Justice, MRSB is helping families find answers and closure through persistent legal action and military-informed advocacy.

A Mission Years in the Making
Long before the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was passed under the PACT Act, MRSB had been investigating the base’s contaminated water crisis. The firm began assisting affected veterans as early as 2011, giving them a crucial head start when legislation finally opened the path to compensation.

“We were ready the moment the law passed,” said partner David Russotto. “We already understood the science, the military systems, and what it takes to prove these cases.”

The firm’s long-standing veterans’ advocacy practice, bolstered by former JAG officers and staff with direct ties to Camp Lejeune, allowed them to file quickly and strategically, uncovering evidence many thought was lost for good.

Uncovering the Proof Families Couldn’t Access Alone
Behind every Camp Lejeune claim is a family trying to make sense of a decades-old tragedy. For one client, whose mother passed in 1989, the journey began with doubt. In a handwritten letter to the firm, she wrote:
“Thank you for the attempt at helping me, but I don’t have the information you’re asking for. The military does. I was only given a dead mother.”

Despite her uncertainty, MRSB persisted. Through repeated requests to federal archives, the team recovered long-forgotten records, including a full autopsy report from the 1980s. Those records became the key to resolving her claim.

“When we told her what we found, she cried,” said attorney Eric Schaefer. “She learned more about her mother’s illness than she ever had before. Even her children, who never met their grandmother, finally understood what happened.”

In another case, the firm represented a family who lost both a father and grandfather, just one day apart, due to Camp Lejeune-related conditions. MRSB resolved both claims, bringing long-overdue answers to a grieving family.

Why MRSB Was Prepared Before the Law Changed
MRSB’s early success in Camp Lejeune cases is no coincidence. Their team includes veterans and military-connected staff who understand the base’s history, movement of service members, and patterns of delayed-onset illness.

“We know where the records are and how to get them, even when agencies say they’re gone,” said Schaefer. “Our team doesn’t stop until we find them.”

Still Helping Military Families Move Forward
Even with the claims window now closed, MRSB continues active community outreach, educational efforts, and support for related cases, including those involving firefighting foam (AFFF) and other military-related toxic exposures.

About Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban
Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban is a personal injury and veterans’ disability law firm serving clients across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. With deep experience in motor vehicle injury, wrongful death, and military-related exposure claims, the firm is committed to helping veterans and families secure the benefits and compensation they deserve nationwide.

Andrea Meredith
Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban
+1 855-435-7247
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Appointment of Tuckett further strengthens Protek’s forensic and eDiscovery expertise.

WILLOWBROOK, IL, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Protek International, a national leader in digital forensics, cyber security, and eDiscovery services, today announced the appointment of Brian D. Tuckett as Director of Digital Investigations and eDiscovery Services. Tuckett brings more than 25 years of federal white collar crime investigative, digital forensic, and expert witness experience to Protek, strategically enhancing the firm’s ability to support complex, high-stakes civil and criminal investigations and litigation.

Tuckett joins Protek after a distinguished career with the United States Secret Service, most recently serving as a Technical Special Agent and Manager of the Chicago Digital Evidence Forensics Laboratory. In that role, he oversaw all aspects of lab operations, including digital evidence collection and preservation, forensic examination, authentication, and quality assurance, ensuring evidence met the highest standards for courtroom admissibility and persuasive value.

“For investigators and litigators, digital evidence can make or break a case,” said Keith Chval, President and CEO at Protek International. “Brian understands not only how to extract and analyze data, but how to clearly present forensic analysis results at trial and defend that work under cross-examination. His addition to Protek in this leadership position even further elevates our ability to deliver forensic results that stand up in court.”

A Litigation-Focused Forensics Leader
Throughout his federal career, Tuckett led and provided digital forensics support to investigations and prosecutions involving complex financial fraud, cybercrime, organized identity theft, homicide, narcotics trafficking, and national security matters. He is also widely recognized as a subject matter expert in mobile device forensics, cellular records analysis, and geolocation mapping, disciplines increasingly central to modern litigation.

Key qualifications that directly benefit investigative and litigation teams include:
· Management of a federally accredited digital forensics laboratory, including evidence chain-of-custody, validation, and reporting
· Extensive experience working alongside prosecutors and trial teams to ensure digital evidence is clear, defensible, and persuasive
· Expert witness testimony in state and federal courts, including advanced cellular geolocation and digital forensic analysis
· Deep expertise in mobile device evidence and investigations (MWI), including incorporating call detail records (CDRs), historical cell site analysis, and smartphone forensics
· Advanced training and certifications from premier organizations and across leading forensic platforms, including Cellebrite, Magnet AXIOM, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and SANS

Tuckett has provided compelling expert testimony in multiple high-profile matters, including state and federal trials, demonstrating his understanding of evidentiary requirements regarding electronic evidence, his acumen in anticipating and responding to challenges from opposing experts and counsel, and presenting his work and findings in a clear, concise, relatable, and persuasive way.

Expanding Protek’s eDiscovery and Expert Witness Services
In his position as Director, Tuckett will oversee Protek’s digital forensics and investigations, eDiscovery, and expert witness services, working closely with litigation counsel from investigative and early case assessment phases through trial.

“Attorneys need more than a raw data dump; they need focused ESI and investigative answers that they can trust and run with,” said Tuckett. “At Protek, my focus is on delivering unassailable forensic work, defensible eDiscovery approaches, and deliverables that are technically sound, transparent, and defensible, whether it’s supporting dispositive motions, Daubert challenges, or trial testimony.”

About Protek:
Founded in 2005, Protek is a nationally recognized provider of expert digital forensics and eDiscovery services. Protek empowers its clients to aggressively leverage the cyber facets of their matters in pursuit of their objectives. Our mission is to deliver exceptional services to our clients, guided by integrity and a commitment to client success. Honest. Simple. Smart.

Heather Mascarello
HLM Communications
+1 630-864-6962
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Livestream on 1/27 at 5:30 PM ET: Creating Dr. King’s Beloved Community Through Art & Music will be at Paul Robeson House & Museum with UPenn’s MLK Symposium.

PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, in partnership with the Paul Robeson House & Museum, will present Creating Dr. King’s Beloved Community Through Art & Music, a special public program coordinated with the University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Symposium on Social Change. The evening brings together voices in art, music, and community reflection to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Honor with us. On Tuesday evening, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM ET, the public is invited to watch this special event online, in real time. A limited in-person audience will gather at the Paul Robeson House & Museum, and the livestream ensures this meaningful conversation can be experienced broadly in recognition of its cultural and civic importance.

Register to watch online on January 27, at 5:30 PM ET: https://tinyurl.com/mlk-beloved-community

Through conversation, music, and cultural expression, the evening will highlight how art and music remain at the forefront of Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community, rooted in connection, care, and shared responsibility.

Art, Culture, and Business in Conversation

This year’s program brings culture and creativity into conversation, revealing how storytelling, design, music, and the practice of art shape communities.

Among the featured panelists is Nile Livingston, Founder and CEO of Creative Repute, a Philadelphia-based creative strategy and design firm that helps organizations express values, identity, and purpose through meaningful visual and digital work, including website development. Livingston joins fellow panelists to explore how creativity functions as both expression and responsibility, shaping how organizations, institutions, and communities approach understanding of various topics and common ground.

Joining the conversation is Ryoko Ohara, a Board Certified Music Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor, whose work bridges psychology, music, and mindfulness. With years of experience supporting individuals and groups through creative therapeutic practices, Ohara brings insight into how music fosters emotional regulation, connection, and well-being.

Also featured is Karen Smith, a Philadelphia-based percussionist, playwright, director, producer, and poet, and a member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 77. Known for her community-centered work, Smith’s practice captures rhythm in the lived experiences of people and place, using percussion and performance to create shared moments of expression, healing, and collective reflection.

Together, the three panelists offer distinct yet complementary perspectives, demonstrating how creativity, across multiple disciplines, serves the community as an art of expression and a responsibility in shaping shared experiences.

Event Details
Date & Time: Tuesday, January 27, 2026, from 5:30-7:30 PM ET
Location: Paul Robeson House & Museum, 4949-4951 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139

Program Participants & Affiliations

Welcome
• Ira Harkavy, Founder and Director, Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania, West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Board Chair
• Azsherae Gary, Interim Executive Director, West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance/ Paul Robeson House & Museum
• Dr. Valerie Dorsey Allen, LSW, DSW, Director, African American Resource Center, University of Pennsylvania

Moderator
• Herman Beavers, Professor of English and Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania

Panelists
• Nile Livingston, Founder and CEO of Creative Repute
• Ryoko Ohara, MT-BC, LPC, Board Certified Music Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor
• Karen Smith, Percussionist, Playwright, Director, Producer, and Poet; Member, AFM Local 77

Opening Prayer
• Joe Nock, Chaplain, Philadelphia Police Department; Pastor, Second Antioch Baptist Church

Drum Performance
• Zumbi Soweto, Tyehimba African Drum Ensemble

Special Presentation
• K. Rose Samuel, Founder and Director, The Justice-oriented Youth (JoY) Education Lab, Drexel University

Closing Remarks
• Isaiah Walker, Executive Director, YESPhilly, West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Board Member

The Significance of This Gathering

Rooted in a nationally recognized symposium and set within a place rich with cultural history, Creating Dr. King’s Beloved Community Through Art & Music brings the past and present into conversation. Held at the Paul Robeson House & Museum, the evening draws inspiration from Robeson’s life as an artist and humanitarian, reminding us how creative expression continues to connect people across communities.

By incorporating perspectives from creative organizations, scholars, artists, and community leaders, the program demonstrates how creativity continues to shape civic life, institutional worth, and collective care, extending Dr. King’s vision into the present day.

Media Invitation & Coverage Coordination

Members of the media are warmly invited to request coverage access in advance to attend the event in person on a limited basis or to engage with the event through the live online broadcast. The program is designed to support thoughtful coverage across print, digital, broadcast, and cultural media platforms.

Coverage opportunities may include:
• Coordinated on-site photography, audio, and video recording
• Written and recorded interviews with panelists and organizers
• Coverage of live musical performances and ceremonial elements
• Feature stories and post-event recaps highlighting the intersection of art, culture, and community leadership
All media attendance, interviews, and recording requests should be coordinated ahead of time to ensure appropriate availability, access, and support.

Media & Press Inquiries:
• Isabel Sampson-Mapp, Associate Director, Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania
Email: sammapp@upenn.edu
• Azsherae Gary, West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance/Paul Robeson House & Museum
Email: wphlca@gmail.com

About the Organizations

The West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (WPCA) manages the Paul Robeson House & Museum. The WPCA, founded in 1984, serves as an arts and cultural institution that brings together artists, visitors, and organizations nationally and internationally by fostering partnerships, visibility, and community-centered programming. The Paul Robeson House & Museum serves as a cultural anchor in West Philadelphia, preserving and advancing the legacy of Paul Robeson, an artist, scholar, athlete, lawyer, and humanitarian whose work demonstrated the unifying power of culture and voice.

The Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships strengthens university-community collaboration through education, civic engagement, and shared learning, fostering meaningful partnerships across Philadelphia and beyond.

Creative Repute is a design, strategy, and web agency that helps organizations articulate identity, purpose, and values through visual storytelling, digital experiences, and thoughtful design.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Symposium on Social Change, coordinated by the African American Resource Center, convenes scholars, artists, and community leaders to honor Dr. King’s vision through dialogue, reflection, and cultural expression.

About the Voices & Disciplines Represented

Creating Dr. King’s Beloved Community Through Art & Music brings together leaders whose work spans education, creative business, independent arts, music therapy, faith leadership, and community-based research. Together, these voices reflect a cross-sector approach to Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community, one that honors legacy while engaging contemporary practice across art, education, business, and civic life.

Media Contact
Kristina Hernandez
Creative Repute
Email: info@creativerepute.com
Phone: (215) 690-1185
Website: https://www.creativerepute.com

Nile Livingston
Creative Repute, Inc.
+1 215-690-1185
info@creativerepute.com
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Symposium presents: Jazz for King

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MOU establishes clear funding pathway for AI-powered translation platform transforming global communication.

DENVER, CO, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Chair Capital announces that MeetMonk has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic funding partnership. The MOU provides a clear roadmap for deliverables and investment capital, positioning MeetMonk for accelerated growth as it scales its AI-powered real-time translation technology across enterprise and government markets worldwide.

MeetMonk delivers a cloud-based, AI-powered real-time translation platform that enables seamless voice, text, and video interpretation in over 85 languages. The platform features advanced capabilities including gender recognition, sentiment matching, and contextual translation, making it ideal for high-stakes applications in manufacturing, healthcare, legal, entertainment, and government sectors.

MeetMonk’s technology has already powered multilingual communication at landmark global events, including enabling simultaneous interpretation for officials from 20 countries at the P20 G20 Summit in Brazil and facilitating communication between members of The Organization of American States (OAS) at the US Congress.

Richard Armour, Chief Investment Officer at Chair Capital, commented:
“MeetMonk is a prime example of the type of high-potential business we look to support. Their AI translation technology sits squarely at the intersection of digital infrastructure and transformative AI applications, two of our core investment focus areas. The MOU we’ve signed establishes clear milestones and provides the structure needed to attract additional investment. MeetMonk’s proven track record with government bodies and global institutions demonstrates both the scalability and strategic importance of their solution. We’re excited to support their growth journey.”

Brahmanshu Mishra, Founder and CEO of MeetMonk, added:
“Our partnership with Chair Capital validates the massive global appetite for ‘sovereign-grade’ AI infrastructure. Having successfully proven our proprietary, non-API-dependent stack in high-stakes environments like the US Congress, the G20 summit, and large scale state-wide deployment in India, we have proved the capabilities of the technology. We have a significant pipeline of sovereign and enterprise interests across three continents that are effectively ‘waitlisted’ for our next release that is scheduled to come out shortly. We want to capitalize our delivery teams and this MoU creates the necessary bridge to activate these high-value contracts into a permanent, multi-year subscription engine. This MOU reinforces our vision of elevating human connections by eliminating language barriers. We are excited about funding the ignition for a global rollout.”

About Chair Capital
Chair Capital is a specialist investment firm with £2.1 billion in committed capital, operating from London and Dubai. The firm focuses exclusively on the critical convergence of energy transition, data infrastructure, and AI technologies. Chair Capital invests £10M to £500M in companies building the critical infrastructure for tomorrow’s digital and sustainable economy. Through its comprehensive Investment Architecture, Chair Capital structures funding deployment around critical business milestones, de-risking the investment journey and positioning portfolio companies for premium valuations.

About MeetMonk
MeetMonk is an AI-powered real-time translation platform that enables seamless voice, text, and video interpretation across more than 85 languages. Trusted by governments, enterprises, and institutions worldwide, MeetMonk’s technology has powered multilingual communication at global events including the P20 G20 Summit in Brazil, LegisTech at the US Congress, and parliamentary proceedings in Chile. The platform serves diverse sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, legal, entertainment, and government, delivering lightning-fast, accurate translations that elevate human connection across language barriers.

Press Department
Chair Capital
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