Latest news with #Uniquely
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
A roller derby renaissance in Fresno? Meet the team bringing the sport back
Uniquely is a Fresno Bee series that covers the moments, landmarks and personalities that define what makes living in the Fresno area so special. It's Tuesday night and Jodie Mettler is playing referee, calling out faux penalties to a dozen or so women as they skate close circles around the roller hockey rink at Fresno's Cary Park. It's the last practice for Ash City Roller Derby before a weekend scrimmage in Los Angeles and the skaters are working on team skills like position, blocking and formations. A tripod of players throw hip blocks in one direction, then shifts the other direction and clips a skater as she tries to take a wide roll around the group. Mettler forgot her whistle, so she yells out a quick 'tweet,' forcing a skater off to the side of the rink to do 10 squats. This is a practice, after all. After a few minutes of this work, the team huddles up to discuss the drill, then sets off to run it again. 'It's all game play tonight,' says Mettler, a founding member of Ash City Roller Derby who skates under the moniker Bae-Phomet. She's number 666, obviously. Since July, Ash City Roller Derby has been working to revive the full-contact sport in Fresno. The league's name is a double play on words: Ash, as in the tree, which in Spanish is Fresno; and also ash, as in the metaphorical remains from which the phoenix was reborn. There was time when Fresno was a roller-derby town. At one point, there were three teams in two separate leagues. Crowds were consistent, if not huge. Up to 1,000 people came out to watch matches at The Fresno Convention Center, and later the fairgrounds in the late 2000s and early 2010s. In 2008, The Fresno Bee ran a week's worth of profiles of Smog City Roller Grrls in advance of a home match at the Fresno Convention Center. Columnist Mike Osegueda called the team's resident speedster, Betty Rocker, a 'certified roller derby star ... who might actually be the top sports star in Fresno right now.' That team ended in 2008, but spawned a pair of others: NoTown Roller Derby and Valley Fever, the later of which morphed into the Central California Area Derby. Mettler joined the NoTown team the week after she moved to Fresno in 2010. She skated under the name Cherry Pie (number 3.142). Finding the team was one of the first things she did in town. 'That was a priority.' Roller Derby goes back nearly 100 years to days of banked-track endurance racing, but early versions of the sport as it's known now became popular in the 1950s and '60s first on radio and later on TV, where it evolved into a kind of professional wrestling on wheels. A story in The Bee in 1956 announced a run of National Roller Derby League matches at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. There would be bouts three nights a week for 13 weeks. League founder Leo Seltzer said he expected crowds of 9,000 a night. When the league came to Fresno's Kearney Bowl in 1960 (the Bay Bombers faced off against the Los Angles Braves), an announcement ran in The Bee alongside a story on the Indy 500. Eventually, the sport fell out of favor and by the 1980s was forgotten or only remembered with fond nostalgia. That was until the 2000s, when it saw an underground revival, thanks to slew of documentaries and at least one major studio film, the Elliot Page feature 'Whip-It.' That was Jessica Meredith's entry into the sport. She'd skated before, the way kids do, but she wasn't an athlete. As a 20-year-old queer person of color, she was mostly looking for a community. She found that in a derby team in Merced, where she was living at the time. It was immediate, says Meredith, who skates under the name Afrodisiac. 'I, to this day, have not found an experience anything like that.' That community and camaraderie is what led her to reach out on social media last summer. The sport had all but disappeared in Fresno during the pandemic and she wondered if anyone else wanted it back. 'We had no idea that other people felt the same way.' Now, roller derby is by no means a mainstream sport. The only way to really watch it live is in person (at scrimmages and more official matches set up by leagues across the country) or on Twitch. 'The joke is that ESPN will pick up fake horse riding before they'll pick up roller derby,' Mettler says. For the uninitiated: This isn't the dystopian battle sport depicted in sci-fi films. There's no ball. Points are scored as one skater laps around a pack of defenders in a series of two-minute 'jams.' Bouts are run in two, 30-minute periods. It isn't played on a banked-wood track (at least per the set of rules that Ash City plays under) and there isn't any fighting (staged or otherwise). It is still full-contact. Hip and body checks are allowed. And things are less DIY then they were in the 2000s, when the majority of the sport was centered out of Texas (where it was insanely popular), Mettler says. Nowadays, there's an international world cup and the skaters look to be seen as the athletes they are. So, it's not the speed competition that people might remember. 'It's a slower game,' Mettler says. 'It's strategic, right from the whistle.' Ash City is still a new team with a mix of veterans and newbies. Its matches are sanctioned by the The Women's Flat Track Derby Association, though Ash City is not yet an official member. That requires the organization to go through an apprenticeship program. The team runs on $10 monthly dues, with no coaching staff and no official home rink (someplace with a roof and air conditioning where Ash City could schedule matches without concern for heat or rain). The club would love to get back inside the Fresno Fairgrounds, at least for match days, but there's an expense that makes that difficult, Mettler says. So, the team (15 skaters, per its Instagram page) meets at Cary Park twice a week for practice. Some of the woman skate more. Meredith travels to Visalia twice a week to skate with the V Town Roller Derby team. They also host boot camps to recruit and train new members. The last one ran six weeks and had 30 skaters. On May 31, the team is hosting its first mixed-level hometown scrimmage. It start at 10 a.m. with a $5 suggested donation for spectators ($10 for those looking to compete). Mostly, the skaters are out here just making it work, Meredith says, because none of them want to see the sport die again. 'We're here to stick around,' she says. 'When people think of roller derby in Fresno, I don't want it to ever be a question.'
Irish Post
12-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Irish firm wins contract to support overhaul of Scotland's electricity grid
AN Irish firm has won a valuable contract to support the 'largest ever' overhaul of the Scottish electricity grid. Kirby Engineering had been named as one of the preferred partners of Scottish Power as they deliver what they describe as the 'largest-ever overhaul of the electricity grid in Scotland. Kirby is among a number of Irish firms that have expanded their offerings into the Scottish market this year. With the support of Enterprise Ireland, more than 10 companies have announced new contracts and expansion in Scotland. Cleantech Civils and Uniquely have both announced new offices in Scotland for 2025, with Uniquely planning to create 100 jobs as they establish their Scottish base. Sheily O' Loughlin, Enterprise Ireland, Killian Smith, Cleantech Civils, Minister Niamh Smyth, Joe Healy, Enterprise Ireland, Jerry O'Donovan, Consul General of Ireland, pictured at the opening of Enterprise Ireland's new Glasgow office Following a research and development investment of over £10m, Dublin-based Subsea Micropiles has launched a pioneering offshore wind anchoring solution, which will get its first commercial installation for Orkney Harbour Authority in Scotland. The move will cut costs and environmental impact for the Authority, while bringing a further 100 jobs to the area over the next five years. Enterprise Ireland recently opened an office in Glasgow. 'Our new Glasgow office signals a long-term commitment to Scotland as a key market and will further support the success and impact of Irish enterprise across the UK, our largest export market,' Enterprise Ireland Regional Director for the UK, Nordics & New Exporters, Deirdre McPartlin said. 'Scotland represents a dynamic growth market for Irish companies and its unique characteristics are best understood through a local presence,' she added. 'For the offshore wind sector, Ireland's established capabilities in engineering, marine services, and grid technologies are positioning its firms as key contributors to Scotland's clean energy transformation.'
Scotsman
12-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Ireland's leading customer service and sales outsourcing partner, Uniquely announces £7million Scottish investment
A leading business process outsourcer in the field of sales and customer services is delighted to officially announce a £7 million investment in Glasgow as part of a wider £20 million investment across the UK, including the West Midlands, the Northwest and Scotland, creating 300 UK jobs. Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The investment in Scotland was officially unveiled at a recent Enterprise Ireland Business Leaders Dinner in Glasgow, and attended by Irish Minister Niamh Smyth TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, marking a significant milestone in Irish-Scottish trade relations. As part of this investment, Irish-owned Uniquely announced a new Glasgow office and the creation of 100 new jobswithin 12 months, contributing to economic growth and innovation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Renowned for delivering outstanding sales and service solutions across diverse industries, Uniquely is opening offices in Solihull near Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow and will employ 300 staff by the end of 2025 across the three regions. Photographed at the Enterprise Ireland Business Leaders Dinner in Glasgow are (L to R) Emma Farrell, Senior Market Advisor UK CreaTech Sector, Enterprise Ireland; Pat Stack, Head of Business Development & Marketing at Uniquely; Minister Niamh Smyth TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation; and Joe Healy, Head of Global Markets, Enterprise Ireland. Commenting on the Scottish investment, Founder and CEO of Uniquely, Gerard Teahon, said: 'People are at the heart of everything we do at Uniquely, and we are delighted to be growing our presence and supporting local economies through new employment opportunities. This significant investment in Glasgow is both the realisation of an important milestone in our journey towards innovation, transformation and growth and a testament to the exceptional talent and innovative offering we provide our increasingly international customer base.' Despite the challenges in trade posed by Brexit, the UK remains Ireland's biggest trading partner in Europe. Commenting on the UK investment, Ireland's Prime Minister, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, said: 'I congratulate Uniquely on their plans to create new jobs and invest in its ongoing expansion in the UK, providing solutions for banking, energy and telecoms. Uniquely is one of several Irish businesses continuing to play a significant role in the UK economy, while delivering export growth for Ireland.' Deirdre McPartlin, Regional Director UK, Nordics and New Exporters, Enterprise Ireland,said: 'Enterprise Ireland supports Irish companies to grow and succeed in global markets. Expanding our client companies' investment in the UK is a key priority for Enterprise Ireland, with the UK being our largest export market. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "Supporting this commitment, we have announced the opening of our third office in the UK, in Glasgow, which builds on our existing strong presence in London and Manchester. Uniquely's £7 million investment and plans to create 100 jobs in Scotland highlight the growth in trade and collaboration between Scotland and Ireland, and are a clear signal of the confidence Irish companies have in Scotland's business landscape as a location for international growth. "The new job opportunities will drive economic growth, strengthen Glasgow's relationship with Ireland, and also benefit the Irish economy.' Head of Business Development & Marketing at Uniquely, Pat Stack, said: 'Establishing our presence in Glasgow was made possible through the assistance of Enterprise Ireland. The team's support has been instrumental in our successful expansion into the city.' Earlier this month, Uniquely won two awards at the Guaranteed Irish Business Awards 2025. Uniquely was honoured in the Professional Services category and claimed the prestigious Guaranteed Irish Business of the Year award for its commitment to excellence and innovation, local jobs and communities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Also in April, and alongside some of Europe's most recognisable corporate brands and leading global agencies, the company's rebrand last year (from SalesSense International to Uniquely) was awarded two silver accolades for Best Naming Strategy and Best Visual Identity in the Professional Services sector at the Transform Europe Awards hosted in London. Its accolades don't end there; in November 2024, Uniquely became Ireland's first outsourcer to win the Customer Services Centre of the Year award at the CCMA Irish Customer Contact & Shared Services Awards. Uniquely was also awarded 'Best Managed Companies' Platinum Standard by Deloitte Ireland* for superior business performance for the past nine years, and it was officially recognised as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland™ in 2025, based on direct feedback from employees. Established in 2006, Uniquely boasts a wealth of experience in diverse markets, collaborating with various organisations to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction. Its expertise spans service solutions in sectors such as Financial Services, Energy, Medical Technology, Telecoms, Media and Retail.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Central Fish has thrived for 75 years in Fresno's Chinatown. What's next?
Uniquely is a Fresno Bee series that covers the moments, landmarks and personalities that define what makes living in the Fresno area so special. The anchor of Fresno's Chinatown, Central Fish Co. has thrived for 75 years by building a loyal customer base and selling products sold nowhere else in the region. Owner Morgan Doizaki has run the family-owned store — which is also a fish wholesaler and restaurant — since he took over the 1535 Kern St. mainstay in 2003. He grew up in Los Angeles but would work at Central Fish during the summers off from school. He was still in college studying business when he convinced his family to let him take over Central Fish, and transferred to Fresno Pacific University. But the shop goes back to 1950, when Doizaki's great-uncle, Akira Yokomi, opened a store around the corner on Kern and F streets. Doizaki said his uncle, who was born in Fowler and known by the nickname 'Okie,' wanted to cater to shoppers who were not already shopping at other Japanese markets in the area. 'It's a very unique place that brings a lot of people here of all types, you know, from a homeless person to a millionaire, from a judge to a student,' he said. 'And it's a destination spot too.' The 44-year-old said he still meets shoppers who are older than him who reminisce about Yokomi giving them candy when they were little. Doizaki said Central Fish offers less commonly found meats, continuing his great-uncle's legacy of finding a niche in the market. There's an array of Cajun, Portuguese and Hawaiian sausages and products, as well as Japanese snacks and mushrooms customers won't see on other stores' shelves. But the real star of the show at Central Fish is just that — the fish. When a diner sits down to enjoy sushi or a cut of salmon in Fresno, there's a high likelihood it came through Fresno's Chinatown. 'I say we don't sell price, we sell quality. And that separates us,' he said. 'It's going into quality sushi restaurants and white tablecloth restaurants and saying, 'We sell quality stuff.' That keeps the standards high and keeps our reputation a certain way.' Then there's the restaurant. Doizaki said everything is made in-house, and he's seen success lately with a new menu item called the Inflation Fighter. That comes in a couple of different forms whether chicken or seafood with rice and a drink that totals $9.99 after tax. Running what amounts to three businesses in one has its unique struggles. 'Only a crazy man would say, 'Hey, you want to start a business. Yeah, but why don't you open up a restaurant, fish market and all in the same house?' ' he said. 'It's kind of madness.' One emerging market for fish sellers, he said, is small catering parties that were spawned during the pandemic. A buyer can go into Central Fish and buy a large cut of sushi-quality fish and make rolls at home for friends and family, cutting out the expenses that come with buying it at a restaurant. Like any business that's been around for decades, Central Fish has seen ups and downs, including an unspeakable tragedy, but its been able to continue to adapt, he said. In 1996, Yokomi was murdered by a former employee in a crime that shocked the city. The 75-year-old was doing some paperwork after hours inside Central Fish on June 24 of that year when the former employee and a 14-year-old accomplice confronted Yokomi. The two had hidden behind some boxes until the store emptied out. The former employee stabbed Yokomi in the chest from across a desk before running around it to stab him several more times. The killer was sentenced to life in prison. Doizaki has fond memories of Yokomi, who was killed when Doizaki was 16. 'He was the nicest guy ever,' he said. 'When people talk stories about him, it just solidifies in my head, like, they don't make people like this anymore.' Many businesses in Chinatown — Chef Paul's, La Elegante and Ho Ho Kafe, to name a few — survive by being a destination. They're not picking up business off of foot traffic so much as being a place where residents who know what they want are going to make the trip. Central Fish is Chinatown's flagship in many ways, according to Jan Minami, the project director for Chinatown Fresno Foundation. 'I think it's a good place to start when you think about revitalization, and Morgan is such a strong advocate for the whole neighborhood,' she said. 'His business is really important, but his attitude is equally important to the neighborhood, because he hears a lot of things. He knows what's going on.' Chinatown and much of downtown is going through a transformation between the high-speed rail construction and the now-delayed $200 million downtown investment Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in 2023. Chinatown has been choked by construction in recent years, and Central Fish sits in the middle of much of it. The city is also replacing water lines throughout Chinatown. Doizaki said he's optimistic about what the future holds. Central Fish has come a long way from when he took over what was a failing business in 2003. 'We've positioned ourselves to hopefully benefit from all this investment coming in, infrastructure and all this stuff and high speed rail,' Doizaki said. 'We want to be a part of this revitalization.' 'When I came here in 2003 I had a five-year plan. I'm still here, and I don't think I'm going anywhere, because I want to see this place succeed, this area succeed.' Central Fish at 1535 Kern St. is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, and stays open 30 minutes later on Friday and Saturday. For more, go to
Irish Independent
04-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Enterprise Ireland strengthens ties of industry on trade mission to Scotland
Partner Content As businesses find themselves operating in an era of change with significant shifts in global trade, supporting Irish exporting companies to grow and scale in international markets continues to be a priority for Enterprise Ireland. Enterprise Ireland last week opened a new office in Glasgow, a signal of a long-term commitment to Scotland and to the UK. The new office was officially opened by Niamh Smyth, junior minister for Trade Promotion. This visit was primarily focused on strengthening Irish and Scottish trade relations, and highlighting our capability in these key sectors, while also exploring new opportunities for Irish firms. The UK is the largest market for Enterprise Ireland client companies, accounting for €9.97bn (29pc) of client exports in 2023. More than 300 companies supported by Enterprise Ireland currently export there. As part of the trade mission, 10 Enterprise Ireland clients announced investments, new contracts and expansions in the Scottish market, highlighting the opportunities that exist there. Kirby Group Engineering has been confirmed as a preferred partner of Scottish Power as they deliver an overhaul of the grid in Scotland, and this partnership is set for an initial five years. Scotland is one of the world's most developed markets for renewable energy McGrath Limestone, Suir Engineering and archaeological consultancy Rubicon also all announced contracts and expansion plans during the week. Two Enterprise Ireland clients, Cleantech Civils and Uniquely, announced that they are to open new offices in Scotland, with Uniquely planning to create 100 jobs in Scotland within the year. Scotland is one of the world's most developed markets for renewable energy with £50bn of projects in development. It's a huge opportunity, not just for the clean energy sector, but also for companies in the engineering and environmental field. Following a stg£10m (€11.8m) R&D investment, Subsea Micropiles launched a pioneering offshore wind anchoring solution, with its first commercial installation for Orkney Harbour Authority in Scotland. The innovative solution will help offshore wind projects to reduce costs and environmental impact. Subsea Micropiles earlier this year announced an investment of stg£9.2m, led by the Scottish National Investment Bank, to expand operations in Scotland, with plans to create 100 jobs over the next five years. ADVERTISEMENT Separately, there are opportunities across the agri sector, and Senus announced a partnership with AgriGroup, as part of its sustainability advisory service to farmers, while livestock comfort manufacturer, Easyfix, announced a distribution partnership with Thorburn. Services provider TEKenable announced they will lead PureMalt's digital change programme, designed to establish a digital backbone for its future growth. The trade mission included a visit to Edinburgh's award-winning Winchburgh Water Treatment Plant – where Enterprise Ireland client EPS, a specialist engineering company focusing on water and wastewater infrastructure, worked closely with Scottish Water's delivery partner ESB in completing the design and built of this state-of-the-art project. Minister Smyth also attended a bi-lateral meeting with Scotland's business minister, Richard Lochhead, and took part in three round-table sessions on offshore wind, agriculture and water. For information about how Enterprise Ireland can help your business identify opportunities in the Scottish market, visit
