The battle for control of Republic First Bank is reaching a fever pitch, with a federal judge ruling that CEO Vernon Hill’s slate of board directors must respond to a lawsuit brought by activist investor Abbott Cooper.

Financing in Handspring, which offers omnichannel options to better serve children and families, was led by Newark Venture Partners and NextView Ventures with additional participation.

The former Bausch Health subsidiary priced its initial public offering of 35 million common shares at $18 per share—below the estimated range of between $21 and $24.

The Belvidere-based hydroponic farming company says it plans to use the proceeds for the construction or acquisition of existing greenhouses and the completion of a packhouse at its New Jersey facility, among other things.

G.S. Wilcox & Co. arranged financing for the 106,000-square-foot property on behalf of a long-standing client.

Funding for the forgivable working capital lending, which carry a 2% interest rate and no interest and no payments due for the first year, will be available through the organization's Main Street Recovery Program.

The Summit-based retirement planning company added Blue Ocean Financial Network of Northern California to its network, and welcomed firm co-founder Christopher Yen as partner.

Elena DeAnnuntis will serve as branch manager of the new Ocean City location.

The result would be a national top-12 accounting and advisory firm with approximately $1 billion in annual revenue and more than 3,400 associates.

The move is the latest in a proxy battle that pits George Norcross III against the bank's current CEO, Vernon Hill.

Celebrating 85 years in business, the accounting and advisory firm moved one of its practice groups from another Essex County location to the main office.

Since its inception in the late 1990s, the program that allows state technology and life sciences companies to sell their net operating losses and unused R&D tax credits has distributed over $1.126 billion to more than 570 such entities.