Latest news with #AnneWard
Business Wire
07-08-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
CATalyst Council Launches Landmark 40,000 Household Pet Ownership Study Focused on Advancing Feline Health
ANNAPOLIS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of International Cat Day celebrated annually on August 8th, CATalyst Council announces the next phase of its ongoing commitment to advancing the feline veterinary market, closing the feline care gap, and reshaping the future of cat-centered care across the animal health ecosystem: a nationwide, 40,000-household survey study. The study is designed to generate a high confidence understanding of the emotional, behavioral, and psychological factors influencing veterinary care decisions, and to identify actionable insights that can drive innovation, increase feline medicalization, and improve health outcomes for cats. "This study will arm the industry with the data to bend the curve by taking real, measurable steps toward solving the feline care gap." -Jon Ayers, CATalyst Council, Feline Market Insights Committee Chair Share Designed by CATalyst with support of key industry association collaborators and two leading animal health market research firms, Forward Group and Kynetec, this initiative is one of the most comprehensive studies of U.S. household pet ownership ever undertaken, and the largest in the last five years. This primary consumer research builds on the momentum of the CATalyst Council's quarterly Feline Market Insights Reports, a series of analyses launched in early 2025 to track feline and overall visit trends and drivers, demographic shifts, and caregiver mindsets. 'The quarterly market insight reports reveal critical trends in veterinary health and also help us frame the questions of pet owners,' said Jon Ayers, CATalyst Council board member and chair of its Market Insights Committee. 'Now we will have it straight from the pet owner. The survey results will also give the industry and profession the most definitive view of pet ownership in the US, including the demographic age profile for both cats and dogs. This knowledge of pet demographics is destiny: the age profiles help predict future veterinarian visit growth. We will also come to understand vet visit behavior by pet and owner demographic. And thus, this study will arm the industry with the data to bend the curve by taking real, measurable steps toward solving the feline care gap." 'This is about listening to the households that shape our profession's future,' said Dr. Anne Ward, Chair of CATalyst Council. 'To be truly cat friendly every day, we must understand the human behaviors, perceptions, and emotional motivators that surround feline care, and we're doing it at a scale that's never been done before.' 'For too long, we've made assumptions about why cats don't get the care they need,' said Dr. Jane Brunt, Executive Director of CATalyst Council. 'This consumer research replaces assumptions with evidence, so we can build better solutions for cats, their people, and the professionals who care for them.' 'CATalyst is grateful for the technical support and advice we are receiving from our industry and association collaborators, including FelineVMA, AVMA, and APPA, as well as our leading industry sponsors,' said Brunt. While this landmark survey will also capture dog ownership and veterinary visit behaviors in order to establish key industry benchmarks, the core focus is on understanding the full spectrum of behaviors, beliefs, and barriers among cat-owning households nationwide. A Strategic Roadmap: From Market Signals to Measurable Change Building on the foundation laid by CATalyst Council's Feline Market Insights Reports, the survey will deepen understanding of what motivates or prevents cat owners from seeking care, how generational mindsets shape veterinary decisions, and what emerging patterns can guide future innovation across veterinary medicine, the animal health industry, and aligned pet care brands. Research Objectives Aligned with CATalyst Council's mission to improve the lives of cats and their people through innovation, education, and appropriate medicalization, the study aims to: Provide an updated and statistically robust estimate of cat and dog populations in U.S. households, and by year of age Reveal emotional, psychological, and behavioral drivers of veterinary visit behavior and avoidance Identify motivators that can increase feline medicalization, especially in multi-pet households Inform the development of tools, education, and strategies to support industry-wide progress Designed for Impact, Built for the Entire Ecosystem This research is structured to deliver value across the feline care ecosystem: Cat Owners & Caregivers: Insights into how and why caregivers seek (or delay) veterinary care Veterinary Teams: Actionable findings to support client communication, adherence, and visit growth Animal Health and Pet Care Companies: Data to support product innovation, education programs, and marketing strategy Investors: Clear visibility into the drivers behind veterinary visits, trends, as well as emerging opportunities in the growing market for feline veterinary care Initial findings will begin rolling out in Q4 2025, with detailed insights shared exclusively with our CATalyst sponsors and strategic partners. The study, along with CATalyst's quarterly reports, will empower industry and veterinary professionals to pilot targeted programs and measure impact based on validated feline and caregiver needs, ensuring the industry stays informed, aligned, and equipped to act. 'As we honor International Cat Day, we're focused not just on celebrating cats, but on understanding them, supporting their people, and building the systems that can serve them both better,' said Kristin Wuhrman, Vice Chair of the CATalyst Council. 'This is much more than the research. It's infrastructure for the future of feline care.' To receive updates or inquire about the benefits of sponsorship, please visit and follow CATalyst Council on LinkedIn. About CATalyst Council CATalyst Council is a national organization dedicated to accelerating innovation in feline care and enhancing quality of life for cats and their people. CATalyst Council's vision is to ensure all companion cats receive lifelong care by using evidence-based resources, embracing community-wide relationships for optimal health outcomes, and celebrating the human-feline bond.
New Straits Times
25-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Australia's Star casino shareholders approve US$195 million rescue package
SYDNEY: Star Entertainment Group's shareholders on Wednesday approved an A$300 million (US$195 million) rescue package that will allow the embattled Australian casino operator to continue operations, according to a company presentation. The rescue bid is led by US casino firm Bally's Corp and the Mathieson family, which is Star's largest existing shareholder. The proposal, put to shareholders at a Sydney meeting, was approved by more than 98 per cent of proxy votes, according to company slides shown at the event, which was live-streamed. A final vote result will be announced later on Wednesday. Australia's second-largest casino operator after Blackstone-controlled Crown Resorts, Star has been battling a deepening debt crisis and regulatory probes over the past two years. The rescue deal comprises multi-tranche convertible notes and subordinated debt instruments. Upon conversion of the notes, Bally's and the Mathieson family will control around 56 per cent of Star's issued capital. Star chairman Anne Ward said the board had no choice but to support the Bally's-led bid after rival interest from Oaktree and Salters Brothers collapsed earlier this year. "The strategic investments ... provide cash funding and assist Star's ability to continue as a going concern, helping to avoid outcomes such as voluntary administration, which is likely not in the best interests of shareholders," Ward told the meeting. In March, Star said it would sell half of its A$3.6 billion Queen's Wharf project in Brisbane to Hong Kong-based Far East Consortium International and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises for just A$53 million. It has also sold a theatre attached to its flagship casino in Sydney's inner city as part of efforts to stay solvent. Bally's owns 19 casinos across 11 US states, according to its website, and the Star deal marks its first investment in Australia.
AU Financial Review
01-06-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Star chair Anne Ward's other sharemarket dumpster fire
Star Entertainment chairwoman Anne Ward attended 45 board meetings (of a possible 46) of the distressed casino operator in the 2024 financial year. It's surely one of the busiest director schedules on the ASX. Necessitated by Star Entertainment being a dumpster fire (which might be unfair to dumpsters and/or fires). Less known is that Ward is also chairwoman of the ASX-listed Articore Group, the ecommerce operator of Redbubble. She joined as a director in 2018.
Business Wire
06-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
CATalyst Council Releases First 2025 Market Insights Report: Feline Veterinary Care Emerges as Industry Growth Driver
ANNAPOLIS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The CATalyst Council, the veterinary industry's leading authority on the feline market, today announced the release of the first volume of the 2025 CATalyst Feline Market Insights Report, a first-of-its-kind data-driven resource offering a comprehensive view into the shifting dynamics of feline healthcare, market behavior, and veterinary trends across the United States. At a time when the broader market headwinds are challenging veterinary medicine, the feline segment is bucking the trend with remarkable, sustained growth. According to proprietary practice data from multiple leading industry sources, feline veterinary visits and practice revenues in the U.S. have been steadily growing since early 2023, in stark contrast to the continuing and well-publicized annual decline in overall companion animal veterinary clinical visits over those same two years. 'We're seeing strong evidence that feline veterinary care is resilient in the face of inflation and other pressures on pet-owning households,' said Kristin Wuhrman, CATalyst Council Vice Chair. 'Driven in part by growing cat ownership, cats present a clear opportunity to prioritize investment in a more modern, data-informed feline care ecosystem.' Key findings include: Feline clinical visits grew year-over-year in 2023 and 2024, while overall visits to veterinary practices in the U.S. (dominated by canine visits) declined, a departure from historical norms; Cats represent a growing percentage of the pet population in U.S. households; Growth in the household-owned feline population has continued at an elevated level since the onset of the pandemic, suggesting cat companionship is highly valued in the current environment; The return-to-office movement and denser urban living of today's world favor cat ownership; The report's novel, feline-specific analysis reveals new opportunities to address unmet needs in feline care, particularly around caregiver engagement, preventive care, and practice-level service models; and Leading pet industry companies are prioritizing investment in M&A, product pipelines, and retail strategies to reflect these trends. Supported by aggregated data from U.S. veterinary practices and pet owners, and across multiple sources, CATalyst Council's Market Insights initiative aims to equip the profession with a deep understanding of the feline veterinary market's trajectory. The data-driven analysis uncovered in this first quarterly volume is essential for industry executives, investors, veterinary teams, and innovators seeking to identify whitespace, prioritize strategic investments, and drive better outcomes for cats and their caregivers alike. 'Cats are quite different than dogs. Their psychological and medical care needs are distinct, and their market trajectories are increasingly divergent,' said Anne Ward, DVM, CATalyst Council Chair. 'This report gives the industry the market data needed to act decisively and strategically drive growth, supporting a healthier future for millions of cats and the caregivers who love them.' The 2025 CATalyst Feline Market Insights Reports, expected to be released quarterly, are available exclusively to CATalyst Council sponsors. The Council will release high-level conclusions from the reports throughout the year through press releases and LinkedIn, designed to engage veterinary professionals, industry stakeholders, and decision-makers with digestible, evidence-based content. To receive updates or inquire about the benefits of sponsorship, please visit About CATalyst Council CATalyst Council is a national organization dedicated to accelerating innovation in feline care and enhancing quality of life for cats and their people. CATalyst Council's vision is to ensure all companion cats receive lifelong care by using evidence-based resources, embracing community-wide relationships for optimal health outcomes, and celebrating the human-feline bond.
Bloomberg
09-03-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Bally's Offers Star $157 Million Cash Injection, Australian Says
US casino group Bally's Corp. has made a last-minute bid to recapitalize Star Entertainment Group Ltd., the Australian newspaper reported. Bally's would inject a minimum of A$250 million ($157 million) into Star, according to a letter sent to Chair Anne Ward on Monday morning, the paper reported. The offer would upend a deal Star struck Friday to sell its stake in its newly opened Brisbane casino to its Hong Kong partners for A$53 million.
