Latest news with #BVM
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Seized cars, former police vehicles up for auction in Pa.
(WKBN) – Approximately 400 used vehicles, including former state police vehicles, will be up for auction during the Commonwealth Auction next week. The Pennsylvania Department of General Services' Bureau of Vehicle Management (BVM) announced that the auction is open to the public and will take place on Tuesday, June 17, at 10 a.m. at Manheim Keystone Pennsylvania, located at 488 Firehouse Road in Grantville. An in-person preview of vehicles begins on Saturday, June 14, and will run through Monday, June 16. Previews will take place each day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Grantville auction site. Vehicle offerings will include a variety of 4-wheel drive SUVs, utility vehicles, and pickup trucks, as well as front and all-wheel drive sedans and minivans. This auction will also feature numerous vehicles seized by state law enforcement agencies. Pre-registration is mandatory for the auction and must be completed on or before 4 p.m. Monday, June 16. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17. Buyers must make purchases with cash, a money order, a cashier's check or a certified check made payable to 'Cox Automotive.' More information is available on the state's website or the auctioneer's website. The June auction is the third of six tentatively scheduled to be held throughout 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Ellen Skerrett: The pope's mother came of age during a complex Catholic-centered Chicago
The thousands who will gather on Saturday for a Mass and celebration in honor of Pope Leo XIV at Rate Field, home of the White Sox, may regard baseball parks as sacred spaces. For good reason — they join churches and schools as places that have shaped the lives of ordinary Chicagoans, including the pope's mother. Charles Comiskey, founder and owner of the Chicago White Sox, understood all about the power of sacred space to inspire. As a child growing up in the Jesuit parish established by the Rev. Arnold Damen, S.J., he sat with his family in pew No. 18 of Church of the Holy Family. Its ornate Gothic interior, completed according to the plans of architect John Mills Van Osdel, was built with the nickels and dimes of Irish families who were creating a place for themselves in Chicago. At 11 years of age, Comiskey was one of the first students to enroll in St. Ignatius College, now known as St. Ignatius College Prep, in September 1870. His classical education began in the Preparatory Department, and, according to the school ledger, he stayed 'about two years off & on.' Comiskey had 'baseball fever' and was a familiar figure on the 'prairies' around Maxwell Street. But his father regarded the American game as 'a sport for town boys and loafers' and sent him to school in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and then St. Mary's in Kansas. His passion for baseball only intensified. Pope Leo XIV's mother, Mildred Agnes Martinez, was born a year after Comiskey's 'baseball cathedral' was dedicated on July 1, 1910, at 35th Street and Shields Avenue. For her, education — not baseball — was the game, and the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or BVM, were her team. Their Chicago roots, like Comiskey's, go back all the way to Damen and Church of the Holy Family. In 1867, Agatha Hurley, BVM, answered Damen's invitation to establish St. Aloysius Academy on Maxwell Street, a decision that had far-reaching consequences for the city of Chicago. The need was great. According to Damen, 'we have now 1,000 boys in our (elementary) school and we should have as many girls.' One of Comiskey's contemporaries, Mary Kane, played a crucial role in the education of Pope Leo XIV's mother. Born in Carrigaholt, Ireland, just after the famine, she came to the Jesuit parish as a 10-year-old with her illiterate immigrant mother and four brothers. Kane was among the crowd who welcomed the BVMs to Chicago in August 1867, and she had the honor of carrying the sisters' altar stone to their new chapel. In 1870, Kane joined the Sisters of Charity, and as Sister Mary Isabella, she quickly rose through the ranks. Elected mother general of her order in 1919, she directed the expansion of the BVM network of grammar and high schools in Chicago and the Midwest. Irish immigrant 'sister-builder' Kane gave Frank Lloyd Wright's draftsman, Barry Byrne, his first important commission: The Immaculata High School. Martinez's alma mater at 640 W. Irving Park Road, was a Prairie School structure of great beauty. In 1923, the Chicago Tribune described it as the 'last word in high schools.' These Catholic sisters challenged conventions. Whereas bishops ordinarily name parishes, 361 BVMs from 20 schools voted to call their new institution 'The Immaculata' after the mother of Jesus. In the 1920s, the BVM sisters were putting their imprint on the urban landscape with a building that matched their progressive ideas of education. At a time when social reformers were advocating domestic training for women, The Immaculata offered a four-year classical curriculum that prepared young women for college and careers as teachers in Chicago's public schools. And their commercial department ensured skills that translated into jobs in the 'front offices' of Chicago businesses and utilities. The sisters, themselves the daughters and granddaughters of immigrants, were investing in the future of their students from working-class and middle-class families. Every day from 1924 until her graduation in 1929, the pope's mother walked through The Immaculata's entrance dominated by Alfonso Iannelli's carved Madonna. The BVMs' commitment to art, music and drama was reflected in the curriculum, and as an Immaculata student, Martinez had many opportunities to find her voice. She was likely among the 60,000 students who participated in the Mass of the Angels at Soldier Field during the Eucharistic Congress of 1926. According to one account, Immaculata students drew attention for 'the cardinal red hats' that they wore as part of their uniform. The quintessential query 'Where did I come from?' takes on new meaning the more we understand the complex Catholic world in which the pope's mother came of age. This 'housewife' from Dolton was baptized at Holy Name Cathedral in 1912 and married there in 1949 to Louis Prevost. Growing up in that parish, Martinez experienced devotions and ritual on a grand scale, with elaborate ceremonies conducted by bishops, archbishops and cardinals. All true, but what about the influence of the 'good sisters'? After all, her aunt, Louise Martinez, was a Sister of Mercy and her aunt, Hilda Martinez, joined the BVM community. Perhaps the question we need to be asking is: What lessons did Mildred Prevost carry from her Immaculata education that shaped her life as a librarian, as well as a wife and mother of three boys? Like so many of us, her son Robert, now Pope Leo XIV, is the beneficiary of this rich legacy of women's work. Ellen Skerrett, a Chicago historian, is writing the history of St. Ignatius College Prep.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Best Version Media Earns Prestigious 2025 USA TODAY Top Workplaces Award
BROOKFIELD, Wis., March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Best Version Media is proud to announce that it has earned the prestigious 2025 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award. The award honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate. The winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement. "We believe that a strong culture is the foundation for lasting success," said Kevin O'Brien, CEO of Best Version Media. "Being named a Top Workplace by USA TODAY reinforces our belief that putting people first creates an environment where everyone can thrive. This recognition fuels our drive to continue building something truly special at BVM." Winners are determined by authentic employee feedback captured through a confidential survey conducted by Energage, the HR research and technology company behind the Top Workplaces program since 2006. The results are calculated based on employee responses to statements about Workplace Experience Themes, which are proven indicators of high performance. "Earning a USA TODAY Top Workplaces award is a testament to an organization's credibility and commitment to a people-first culture," said Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. "This award, driven by real employee feedback, is more than just a recognition — it's proof that your employees believe in the organization and its leadership. Job seekers and customers look for this trusted badge of credibility and excellence. It signals a company that values its people, and that kind of culture resonates in today's competitive market." Earlier this year, BVM was named one of Glassdoor's Best Places to Work. Over the years, many other organizations have also awarded the company, including the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the Best in Biz Awards. ABOUT BEST VERSION MEDIABest Version Media connects local businesses to customers with innovative print and digital marketing solutions. Learn more by visiting ABOUT ENERGAGEEnergage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Best Version Media, LLC
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Record-breaking revenue announced by Pennsylvania Department of General Services
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — Record-breaking revenue was announced by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. Officials said revenue from state vehicle auctions reached an all-time high at $19.2 million over the past two years. In 2024, the Bureau of Vehicle Management (BVM) raised a record $10.1 million from vehicle auctions, breaking 2023's single-year record of $9.1 million, officials reported. the proactive vehicle replacement program not only generated record-breaking auction revenue but also saved the Commonwealth $1.5 million in repair costs over two years, they added. 'The Shapiro Administration's focus on smart fiscal policies and innovative solutions has delivered extraordinary results for Pennsylvania,' Brian Esposito, DGS Deputy Secretary for Procurement said in a release. 'Our vehicle replacement program is helping us provide Commonwealth employees with safer, more reliable vehicles while saving taxpayers money in the long term. By retiring older vehicles before maintenance costs escalate, we're making smarter fiscal decisions that benefit everyone.' Why are Pennsylvania flags lowered? Between 2023 and 2024, 43 percent of the Commonwealth's leased vehicles have been replaced. It's the largest fleet renewal effort in over a decade, the department reports. These efforts have reduced repair costs, improved reliability, and added cutting-edge safety technologies to protect state employees. The modernization efforts support Pennsylvania's sustainability efforts which currently include the following alternative fuel vehicles: 33 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in service, with an additional 39 in stock, including models such as the Chevy Bolt and Ford Mach-E 82 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) 138 Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)The BVM holds six vehicle auctions annually. Used Commonwealth vehicle auctions are open to the public, including auto dealers. The next auction will take place April 15. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
28-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Bertram Capital Exits Best Version Media
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bertram Capital ('Bertram') announced today the completion of the sale of Best Version Media ('BVM' or 'the Company') to H.I.G. Capital Partners, a global alternative investment firm. BVM, headquartered in Brookfield, WI, is a provider of print and digital advertising solutions to over 30,000 local small and medium-sized businesses ('SMB'). The transaction represents Bertram's [21]st exit since its launch in 2006. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 'BVM represented a unique opportunity to partner with a talented, visionary group of founders and executives in an important corner of the SMB advertising market. We deployed our Bertram High 5sm strategy and leveraged the capabilities of our in-house IT services team, Bertram Labs, to grow the Company's core community magazine business and introduce a suite of complementary digital services,' said Ryan Craig, Partner at Bertram Capital. 'Dave Durand, Kevin O'Brien and the talented team at BVM have been outstanding partners. Working together, we built a scalable, multi-channel platform that is poised for continued growth.' Since Bertram's investment in BVM, the Company has invested heavily in developing digital services, including targeted advertising solutions, listings, reputation management services, and local sports content. 'The Bertram team, led by Ryan Craig and Mitch Vashon, was the ideal fit for BVM. They enhanced our core business and delivered what they promised in helping support our digital growth initiatives,' said [Dave Durand], Co-Founder of BVM. Kevin O'Brien, CEO of BVM, added, 'Not only did Bertram bring exceptional technology talent in the form of Bertram Labs, but they also helped us strategically improve our business through key hires and a data-focused approach to operations management.' Bertram would like to thank the banking team at Stephens, led by Phyllis Riggins, for leading the BVM sale process. The Stephens team's diligent work positioning BVM as an innovative growth engine enabled this transaction to successfully close. We would also like to acknowledge the supporting work by Canaccord Genuity, led by Edin Trto, for their assistance with the process. About BVM Headquartered in Brookfield, WI, BVM is a leading provider of print and digital advertising solutions for small and medium-sized businesses ('SMBs') across the United States and Canada. The Company operates across over a thousand micro markets, producing curated local content that provides SMB clients across a diverse array of end markets with the tools to effectively showcase their brands and acquire high-value customers. To learn more about BVM, please visit About Bertram Capital Bertram Capital is a private equity firm targeting investments in lower middle market companies. Since its inception in 2006, the firm has raised over $4.0B of capital commitments. In addition to supplying strategic growth capital, Bertram Capital seeks to leverage proprietary processes and services, Bertram High-5sm and Bertram Labs, to empower its portfolio companies to unlock their full business potential. The Bertram High-5sm is an operationally-focused value creation strategy, which includes management augmentation, operational initiative implementation, complementary business acquisition, sales and marketing improvements, and leveraging technology and IP. The cornerstone of this strategy is Bertram Labs, its in-house technology team, which aims to drive growth and value through digital marketing, e-commerce, big data and analytics, application development, and internal and external platform optimization. Bertram Capital V focuses on control investments in business services, consumer and industrial sectors with north of $7.5M of EBITDA. Bertram Ignite I focuses on control and non-control investments in business services, consumer and industrial sectors with a minimum of $3M of EBITDA. Contacts: Partner SOURCE Bertram Capital
