Latest news with #McNeal
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Two Palantir alums raise $20 million for infrastructure startup Thread AI
– In communcation. When Angela McNeal and Mayada Gonimah led the modeling and AI/machine learning products group together at Palantir, they had a lot in common. They worked together every day, building Palantir's first ML product suite—more than $100 million in projects. Gonimah, originally from Egypt, wasn't a U.S. citizen at the time. She had previously worked for Goldman Sachs and built the digital subscriptions platform for the New York Times. But when it came time for the products she built at Palantir to be used by the Department of Defense, a client, Gonimah couldn't get the security clearance to see her work in action. 'We were in this space where Maya had built this infrastructure she couldn't see, she couldn't access, and had to trust me to communicate back the requirements and the product vision in a very abstract sense,' McNeal remembers. The experience led them to build a new company called Thread AI. The founders have raised a $20 million Series A round led by Greycroft, Fortune is the first to report. Thread AI aims to build an infrastructure layer for AI, designed for all the complexities of the business world rather than only the tech industry. 'We're seeing a pattern where [workflow builders] are focused primarily for other startups—for Silicon Valley devs,' McNeal says. Its infrastructure layer is intended to communicate between legacy and new systems, across datasets, and across different permissions, roles, and responsibilities. They say the company is working with large enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, across agriculture, manufacturing, hospitality, and financial services. McNeal thinks that focus on the most complex business problems helps their startup stand out among AI infrastructure startups. 'We were fortunate to raise relatively quickly,' she adds. 'The problem that we're trying to solve is top of mind for every company right now—how to securely and safely modernize your business with AI.' Emma The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune's daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Today's edition was curated by Nina Ajemian. Subscribe here. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Vogue Arabia
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
Lewis Hamilton's 2025 Met Gala Look Is Loaded With Symbolism—Right Down to the Cufflinks
Hamilton's Met look has been in the works for months. 'My stylist, Eric McNeal, and I have been thinking about how I'm going to turn up at the Met Gala,' Hamilton said in his Vogue cover story. 'We're both very thoughtful and intentional when it comes to fashion, and I hope that everyone else attending is compelled to really research and think deeply about what they're wearing.' No detail went overlooked in the driver's symbolism-heavy look. 'We spent three months on research and two months bringing it to life. Nothing about it was rushed,' McNeal tells Vogue. 'So much care went into this look. What makes it special is that it's not just about fashion—it's about meaning.' The Harlem Renaissance proved a jumping-off point, 'especially Cab Calloway and the way he used clothing to express confidence, charm, and something entirely new,' McNeal says of the jazz singer and bandleader. They also turned to Barkley L. Hendricks's paintings, especially his striking white-on-white portraits, which featured Black subjects dressed in white before a white background. 'There's something really powerful about that kind of restraint—how it can say so much,' he adds. Hamilton, Wales Bonner, and McNeal also ensured that Hamilton's own identity was represented. 'Lewis really wanted there to be a reason and a story behind every detail,' McNeal says. Wales Bonner lined Hamilton's sash with cowrie shells—a protective talisman in African culture—while his ear cuffs, cufflinks, and Baobab-inspired brooches (which Wales Bonner made in collaboration with SNOW Diamonds) contain garnets, a nod to his January birthday, amongst the white and amber emerald-cut diamonds. Even his cufflinks, shaped like the Whirligig African Daisy, were loaded with symbolism. '[They] felt like a beautiful metaphor for growth, memory, and African heritage,' McNeal says. Hamilton, of course, is no stranger to the Met Gala, attending for the first time in 2015 for 'China: Through the Looking Glass.' In recent years, he has taken to spotlighting Black talent and historical figures. In 2021, for 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,' he hosted a table of rising Black talent, including Theophilio's Edvin Thompson, Kenneth Nicholson, and Jason Rembert. Last year, he delivered one of his most powerful looks to date for 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,' paying homage to John Ystumllyn, who became the first Black gardener in Wales in the 18th century. At the 2025 Met Gala, Hamilton once again used fashion to shine a light on past trailblazers. Article originally published on Vogue US
Vogue
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Lewis Hamilton's 2025 Met Gala Look Is Loaded With Symbolism—Right Down to the Cufflinks
Hamilton's Met look has been in the works for months. 'My stylist, Eric McNeal, and I have been thinking about how I'm going to turn up at the Met Gala,' Hamilton said in his Vogue cover story. 'We're both very thoughtful and intentional when it comes to fashion, and I hope that everyone else attending is compelled to really research and think deeply about what they're wearing.' Aided by McNeal, no detail went overlooked in the driver's symbolism-heavy look. 'We spent three months on research and two months bringing it to life. Nothing about it was rushed,' McNeal tells Vogue. 'So much care went into this look. What makes it special is that it's not just about fashion—it's about meaning.' The Harlem Renaissance proved a jumping-off point for the look, 'especially Cab Calloway and the way he used clothing to express confidence, charm, and something entirely new,' McNeal says of the jazz singer and bandleader. The longtime Cotton Club performer wasn't the team's sole reference, though. They also turned to Barkley L. Hendricks's paintings, especially his striking white-on-white portraits, which featured Black subjects dressed in white before a white background. 'There's something really powerful about that kind of restraint—how it can say so much,' he adds. Hamilton, Wales-Bonner, and McNeal also ensured that Hamilton's own identity was represented. 'Lewis really wanted there to be a reason and a story behind every detail,' McNeal says. Wales Bonner lined Hamilton's sash with cowrie shells—a protective talisman in African culture—while his ear cuffs, cufflinks, and Baobab-inspired brooches, (which Wales Bonner made in collaboration with SNOW Diamonds) contain garnets, a nod to his January birthday, amongst the white and amber emerald-cut diamonds. Even his cufflinks, shaped like the Whirligig African Daisy, were loaded with symbolism. '[They] felt like a beautiful metaphor for growth, memory, and African heritage,' McNeal says. The British driver is no stranger to the Met Gala, attending for the first time in 2015 for 'China: Through the Looking Glass.' In recent years, he has taken to spotlighting Black talent and historical figures. In 2021, for 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,' he hosted a table of rising Black talent, including Theophilio's Edvin Thompson, Kenneth Nicholson, and Jason Rembert. Last year, he delivered one of his most powerful looks to date for 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,' where he paid homage to John Ystumllyn, who became the first Black gardener in Wales in the 18th century.
Indianapolis Star
22-04-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Herron Classical Schools says miscalculation led to callout to parents over state budget
Show Caption After an urgent callout to parents asking them to push lawmakers not to cut charter school funding during budget talks, one Indianapolis charter network is backtracking on its messaging. Herron Classical Schools, a network of three charter schools in Indianapolis, emailed parents Friday telling them that the network could be at risk of losing $4 million in the next two years. Janet McNeal, the president of Herron Classical Schools, told families in the email that the legislature was cutting funding for the Charter and Innovation Network School Grant and 'capital funding' in talks over the current state budget bill. The email explained that even though charter schools would see an increase in funds flowing to them thanks to the passage of Senate Bill 1, which allows charter schools to have a cut of property tax revenue, that money wouldn't start arriving until 2028. McNeal told IndyStar on Monday that after seeing news the legislature was considering a $2 billion revenue gap in this year's biennium budget conversations, the network jumped to conclusions about its funding too quickly. 'In our haste to give families a chance to advocate for funding, we calculated revenue lost if the Charter and Innovation Grant was completely eliminated, which has not happened and is highly unlikely to happen,' McNeal told IndyStar. 'That is where the $4 million figure comes from. However, the Charter and Innovation Grant is currently included in the Senate budget.' McNeal also said they are continuing to advocate for charter school funding at the statehouse, but they have no reason to believe the grant funding will be completely removed from the final version of the budget bill. 'Republican legislators have demonstrated their commitment to supporting charter schools throughout this session, and we are deeply grateful,' McNeal said. The callout angered some Herron parents, especially those who disapprove of SB 1 and do not believe charter schools should be siphoning property tax dollars from traditional public schools. While the current biennium budget bill does contain funding for the Charter and Innovation Network School grant, it has been cut by $38 million over the next two fiscal years as compared to the 2023 biennium budget. The Charter and Innovation Network School grant is meant to be supplemental funding sent to charter schools due to their lack of access to property tax revenues. In the 2023 budget there was also an inclusion of a one time $25 million fund for the Charter School Facility Grant program, which helps provide money for facility needs. Despite this cut, McNeal told IndyStar they remain hopeful the legislature will retain the same level of funding for charter schools as in the previous budget. The legislature is expected to make a final decision on this year's budget by the end of this week, but has until April 29 to pass any remaining bills.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Yahoo
Streetsboro man charged with trying to kill relative on Easter Sunday
[Watch in the player above: The difference between homicide, murder and manslaughter] STREETSBORO, Ohio (WJW) — A Streetsboro man is charged with attempted murder after allegedly striking a family member in the back of the head with a hand tool then pushing her down the stairs — and claiming to 911 dispatchers that she simply fell. Richard McNeal, 57, of Streetsboro, was arrested the afternoon of April 20, Easter Sunday, after making the 911 call from a home in the 1600 block of Leslie Drive, according to a Monday news release from Streetsboro Police Chief Tricia Wain. Pork product sold at Aldi focus of nationwide public health alert Medics who arrived on scene found the woman's injuries were not consistent with 'only a fall,' according to the release. The woman was conscious and able to explain some of what happened, according to the release. Police officers learned the woman, who is in her 70s, had been 'violently assaulted,' then pushed down the stairs. Investigators determined McNeal hit the woman in the back of the head with a 'heavy hand tool similar to a mallet or meat tenderizer,' critically injuring her, according to police. When she ran, he pushed her down the stairs. Investigators also found he suffered wounds in defending herself. The woman was transported to a Portage County hospital, then to another hospital, where she remains hospitalized in serious condition. Her identity has not been released. Ohio once again ranks at No. 2 in 'Horrible Hundred' report for puppy mill violations The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called in to process the scene, 'due to the seriousness of the offense,' police said in the release. McNeal is now in the Portage County Jail and is due for arraignment in the Portage Municipal Court on Monday afternoon, court records show. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
