Latest news with #DiBenedetto
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Detroit Lions new-look OL still ranked in top 5 by longtime NFL scout Scott DiBenedetto
The Detroit Lions have fielded one of the NFL's best offensive lines for the last few seasons. Yet there are some questions about the unit going forward after losing Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow to retirement and standout veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler to free agency. The changes keep the Lions from being ranked atop preseason offensive line projections entering 2025, a departure from being either No. 1 or No. 2 on most lists entering the last couple of seasons. However, one recent ranking still sees the Lions line as very worthy of respect and a top-five ranking. Fantasy Points analyst Scott DiBenedetto, who was an NFL scout for 10 years, slots Detroit's line at No. 5 even after the losses. After noting Detroit was No. 1 last year, DiBenedetto breaks it down thusly, A disappointing finish to the season took away some of the glory this unit deserved. With some significant changes in the interior, things will likely be different for Detroit's offensive line this season, but this is still one of the league's strongest units. The tackle combination of Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker is second in his rankings, behind the Eagles. Detroit's coaching, led by OL coach and run game coordinator Hank Fraley, and the combination of vets and promising youngsters--notably projected starting left guard Christian Mahogany--keep the Lions very high in the rankings even with the roster attrition. Editor's note: DiBenedetto also works for Draft Wire, our brother site
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Starting from absolute scratch': Viking Motorsports grows as independent team
After years of being a NASCAR sponsor, SciAps CEO and co-founder Don Sackett wanted to make more of an impact. His vision was Viking Motorsports, a competitive and non-affiliated NASCAR Xfinity Series team. Sackett had a trial run in 2024, fielding the No. 38 car, which was prepared by RSS Racing in Georgia. Over the offseason, the team became its own entity and relocated to NASCAR's Charlotte hub, leasing space from BJ McLeod. Advertisement Matt DiBenedetto, who believed in Sackett's vision from the start, returned as the team's driver as it switched manufacturers, crew chiefs and car numbers; the only returning pieces of the team from 2024 were DiBenedetto, Sackett and spotter Doug Campbell. RELATED: Matt DiBenedetto driver page 'The main goal last year was to get this thing off the ground, and that situation with the Siegs helping us was great for getting Viking Motorsports off the ground,' DiBenedetto told 'The main goal was for us to truly become our own self-sufficient team.' Ultimately, Sackett wanted his fingerprints in operating a team and creating a unique culture. With an established driver in DiBenedetto, the veteran racer streamlines the process, having built various teams in the past. That was important for both parties as it also attracts employees. Advertisement 'Having a driver like Matt takes a lot of the unknown out of the equation,' Jeremy Lange, general manager of Viking Motorsports and formerly with Leavine Family Racing, said. 'I know we have a talented driver behind the wheel. If we can build race cars that can race, we know we have a guy that can drive them versus an unknown or a kid who has money. We wanted to build it around a driver that we know can drive.' DiBenedetto has made a living by overdelivering for smaller race teams. But even he thinks this was a different setting, given the team's from-the-ground-up start. 'We have erratically improved and helped grow and build teams in the past,' DiBenedetto said. 'But this one was different because it was starting from absolute scratch, completely nothing. That is what is probably more rewarding about it because it feels like building a business. 'We've had great people put in our path and a lot of tools for success that's grown so much from looking back a year ago to where we are today and where we're heading for the rest of the season.' A Viking Motorsports crew member (L) and Matt DiBenedetto (R) share a laugh. Constant change led to a busy offseason for the small race team. The first full-time employee was hired in November, shortly after the 2024 campaign concluded. Veteran crew chief Pat Tryson was a pivotal acquisition, and Viking now has more than a dozen full-time employees. Advertisement To prepare for 2025, employees juggled working seven days per week over the offseason. It helped that everyone pulled rope in the same direction, knowing the beast of an opening three months of the schedule with no weeks off until early May. Entering 2025, Viking established that cracking the top 15 would be a morale boost. Even then, the No. 99 team would be battling some of the series' Goliaths. 'Our goal was to build our notebook of what we can do from our end,' Lange said. 'You also have to put your flag in the ground and say, 'we're here.' But you need to put your best foot forward every weekend, so people recognize that you are wanting to improve. 'We're not satisfied finishing 20th; we're not satisfied finishing 10th. We want to compete for victories, but we also have to be realistic in where we are and the lifespan of our race team. We're racing teams on a weekly basis that have been doing this for a long time and have a lot more resources than we do. Not an excuse, just a fact.' Advertisement Through the opening 15 races of the season, the No. 99 team's highlight was finishing fifth at Talladega Superspeedway in April. DiBenedetto narrowly missed out on top 10s in each of the first two races of the season, placing 11th and 12th, respectively. He has three additional top 20 finishes, including a 16th-place outing in NASCAR's return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez last weekend. DiBenedetto ranks 24th in the driver standings, and the No. 99 sits one spot lower in the owner points. The team's next contest comes at Pocono Raceway this Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). MORE: Xfinity Series standings | Xfinity Series schedule 'We've had some hurdles to start the year, but I feel like we're caught up and in a better spot,' DiBenedetto said. 'We want to prove ourselves as a team, and it's all about growing relationships with the manufacturer and gaining the respect of everybody in the sport, knowing this Viking Motorsports team is here to stay and long for the haul. We want to build a successful Xfinity Series team.' Advertisement DiBenedetto, who has been around the top three divisions for more than 15 years, is fully committed to Viking. He hopes to be the driver who can continue being in the trenches and build a competitive organization. He recalled telling Sackett: 'I'll run the rest of my career with you guys if that's a possibility because I believed in them 1,000% just like they believed in me.' As the team continues to learn from each other, Lange is happy with the swift progress of the No. 99 bunch, but he won't be satisfied until the team is competing up front.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitebridge Capital Partners Acquires R&B Grinding in Racine, Wisconsin
Former division of J&E Companies to be Renamed CHICAGO, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Whitebridge Capital Partners, LLC today announced it is acquiring certain assets of R&B Grinding of Racine, Wisconsin, a 67-year-old manufacturer of machined components serving a variety of industrial customers including Fortune 500 OEMs. R&B was previously a division of J&E Companies. Whitebridge, Maynards Industries and Holland Industrial Group collaborated on the transactions and have a long-standing and shared history of successfully navigating complex transactions. The acquisition of R&B Grinding assets represents a collaborative solution to the challenges facing J&E Companies and underscores the firms' ability to provide thoughtful, value-driven outcomes in special situations. R&B Grinding will be renamed RB Industrial Manufacturing LLC, in recognition of the full range of machining processes the company can provide from its 140,000 square foot facility. "We are delighted to once again work with our colleagues Taso Sofikitis and Stephen Wolf at Maynards to restore approximately 100 jobs to Racine while rebuilding a strong and growing company," said Whitebridge partner Todd DiBenedetto. "With the renewed emphasis on domestic manufacturing and our background in revitalizing industrial businesses, we are confident that this will once again be a thriving business contributing to the local economy." Whitebridge partners DiBenedetto, Mark Heinze and Linda Budz have a strong history of taking distressed businesses to profitability by applying decades of hands-on experience. Maynards Industries is a global leader in transforming undervalued assets into profitable opportunities. For more than 120 years the company has transacted in 42 countries by providing capital, expertise and strong industry relationships. It recently acquired Wolf Industrial Advisors and appointed Stephen Wolf president of the industrial solutions group. Holland Industrial Group brings more than 40 years of expertise in industrial auctions, asset management, and real estate solutions. "We were able to align with Maynards to revitalize R&B and carve out a strong US-based business that can capitalize on the renewed national focus in American manufacturing," said Heinze. "We believe there is an opportunity to restore many manufacturing businesses that struggled due to the past emphasis on offshoring. That trend is now reversing and we are well-positioned to help companies reorganize." Whitebridge Capital provides both capital and hands-on management to distressed companies. "Our focus is on working directly with current ownership, current operators, current or new financiers by calling on highly creative deal structures to save US based manufacturing businesses," said Budz. Prior to forming Whitebridge, DiBenedetto was a co-founder and president of Big Shoulders Capital where he led numerous successful turnarounds for more than 15 years. Heinze specializes in organization restructuring through vendor consolidation, sales program re-design, recapitalization, cash management and manufacturing process improvements. He has worked as a business owner, operator, consultant and investor for more than 22 years to successfully guide companies through deep challenges to return them to profitable operations. Budz has more than 20 years of legal and financial experience. She has spent nearly 10 years in business development roles, sourcing opportunities through insolvency proceedings involving commercial and industrial manufacturing companies. Whitebridge Capital is an Illinois corporation based in Chicago. Company principals can be contacted at:Todd DiBenedetto: todd@ (312) 343-0747Mark Heinze: mark@ (773) 936-9612Linda Budz: linda@ (619) 316-8433 Maynards is based in Livonia, Michigan and the website is Contact: Tom Nicholson 212-203-2803 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Whitebridge Capital Partners
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitebridge Capital Partners Acquires R&B Grinding in Racine, Wisconsin
Former division of J&E Companies to be Renamed CHICAGO, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Whitebridge Capital Partners, LLC today announced it is acquiring certain assets of R&B Grinding of Racine, Wisconsin, a 67-year-old manufacturer of machined components serving a variety of industrial customers including Fortune 500 OEMs. R&B was previously a division of J&E Companies. Whitebridge, Maynards Industries and Holland Industrial Group collaborated on the transactions and have a long-standing and shared history of successfully navigating complex transactions. The acquisition of R&B Grinding assets represents a collaborative solution to the challenges facing J&E Companies and underscores the firms' ability to provide thoughtful, value-driven outcomes in special situations. R&B Grinding will be renamed RB Industrial Manufacturing LLC, in recognition of the full range of machining processes the company can provide from its 140,000 square foot facility. "We are delighted to once again work with our colleagues Taso Sofikitis and Stephen Wolf at Maynards to restore approximately 100 jobs to Racine while rebuilding a strong and growing company," said Whitebridge partner Todd DiBenedetto. "With the renewed emphasis on domestic manufacturing and our background in revitalizing industrial businesses, we are confident that this will once again be a thriving business contributing to the local economy." Whitebridge partners DiBenedetto, Mark Heinze and Linda Budz have a strong history of taking distressed businesses to profitability by applying decades of hands-on experience. Maynards Industries is a global leader in transforming undervalued assets into profitable opportunities. For more than 120 years the company has transacted in 42 countries by providing capital, expertise and strong industry relationships. It recently acquired Wolf Industrial Advisors and appointed Stephen Wolf president of the industrial solutions group. Holland Industrial Group brings more than 40 years of expertise in industrial auctions, asset management, and real estate solutions. "We were able to align with Maynards to revitalize R&B and carve out a strong US-based business that can capitalize on the renewed national focus in American manufacturing," said Heinze. "We believe there is an opportunity to restore many manufacturing businesses that struggled due to the past emphasis on offshoring. That trend is now reversing and we are well-positioned to help companies reorganize." Whitebridge Capital provides both capital and hands-on management to distressed companies. "Our focus is on working directly with current ownership, current operators, current or new financiers by calling on highly creative deal structures to save US based manufacturing businesses," said Budz. Prior to forming Whitebridge, DiBenedetto was a co-founder and president of Big Shoulders Capital where he led numerous successful turnarounds for more than 15 years. Heinze specializes in organization restructuring through vendor consolidation, sales program re-design, recapitalization, cash management and manufacturing process improvements. He has worked as a business owner, operator, consultant and investor for more than 22 years to successfully guide companies through deep challenges to return them to profitable operations. Budz has more than 20 years of legal and financial experience. She has spent nearly 10 years in business development roles, sourcing opportunities through insolvency proceedings involving commercial and industrial manufacturing companies. Whitebridge Capital is an Illinois corporation based in Chicago. Company principals can be contacted at:Todd DiBenedetto: todd@ (312) 343-0747Mark Heinze: mark@ (773) 936-9612Linda Budz: linda@ (619) 316-8433 Maynards is based in Livonia, Michigan and the website is Contact: Tom Nicholson 212-203-2803 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Whitebridge Capital Partners
Herald Sun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
Reservoir: House featuring viral dolphin fountain that Sooshi Mango are eyeing off hits market
A quirky Reservoir house featuring a concrete dolphin fountain is ready for a grand sale after being dubbed 'Nonna's House of the Week' by a popular Instagram account. The dolphin fountain was built by the home's late owner, Ignazio 'Benny' Di Benedetto, who migrated from Italy to Australia as a teenager. A plasterer by trade and also an artist, Ignazio's residence has long been something of a local icon, photographed for books chronicling Australian front yards. RELATED: Reservoir home gives off resort vibes with floating staircase, handpainted mural Coburg: Dilapidated house sells for almost $1m after more than seven decades in one family Eaglehawk pad boasts lion sculptures, equine-themed fountain, wine cellar and bird artworks The abode even counts Sooshi Mango among its fans with the comedy super group joking that they would buy the residence 'for the fountain alone' in response to an Instagram post about the house on the Yiayia Next Door account. And it was another Insta page, Nonna's Judging You, that gave the three-bedroom pad at 3 Fiddes St its 'Nonna's House of the Week' honour. The property, which has two bathrooms, a timber-fitted kitchen and double garage, is for sale with a $980,000-$1.05m asking range. Ignazio's oldest child, Vito Di Benedetto, said he had enjoyed a wonderful childhood at the home with his father, mother Ida and siblings. While he never specifically asked his dad the reason why he created the fountain, Ignazio had a love of architecture and art. 'To begin with, it was a simple fountain,' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'I'd say he started building the fountain in the very late sixties, and I think he probably would have finished it in the mid-eighties.' A motor and pump were later connected, and the fountain still works today. The family collected shells at Melbourne beaches to decorate the fountain. As well, Ignazio would buy plastic containers in the shape of animals which had lollies or chocolates in them. 'He'd tell us to eat them as quickly as we possibly could – and being kids, were like, 'Wow, this is like Christmas',' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'So we'd eat them and then within weeks of us finishing them, he would fill those animals or containers with cement and then decorate them and put them on the fountain.' After completing the fountain, Ignazio started buying imitation jewellery and frames to make murals. Inspired by the town hall in the Sicilian village where he grew up, he hung throughout the house. The artworks were taken down to repaint the home before it was put up for sale. Mr Di Benedetto said that his family would be happy to give a few murals to whoever buys the house, if they were keen. Ignazio's artistic talent can also be seen in pebble-mixed concrete columns that he crafted for the veranda and the backyard. Inside, some of the ceilings feature decorative work, such as small, hand-cut pieces of plaster to create an artistic finish. The formal lounge and dining area has what looks like a pressed metal ceiling which is actually made out of plaster. Mr Di Benedetto said the producers of the 2022 movie Wog Boys Forever, starring Nick Giannopoulos and Vince Colosimo, contacted his family requesting to film at the home. But Ignazio, who valued his privacy, declined the invitation. 'They ended up filming it in Reservoir at another house not far from where my Dad lived,' Mr Di Benedetto said. However, photographer David Wadelton captured images of the fountain for his book Front Yards, showcasing character-filled Australian gardens and front yards. Mr Di Benedetto said he hoped that whoever buys the house would keep the fountain, but it would be up to the individual purchaser. Real estate agency Love & Co's Kannan Subramanian said the house had gone viral since being listed for sale. 'It's a very special home, it is quirky but functional,' Mr Subramanian said. 'It's a really good family home.' Most of the interested buyers are families and young couples. The house is close to public transport, Connor Reserve, the Merri Creek Trail and Edwardes Lake. It will be auctioned at 1.30pm on May 24. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Epping home with luxury fit-out and commercial motorcycle workshop for sale Rolling Stone Australia owner Josh Simons and wife Tatiana selling Patterson Lakes home Melbourne's weirdest home finds: Wacky and wonderful things found inside houses
