Latest news with #Nunn
NBC Sports
7 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot wins Bill Nunn Award
The Pro Football Writers of America has named Mary Kay Cabot the winner of the 2025 Bill Nunn Jr. Award. Cabot , who writes about the Browns for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and has covered the NFL since 1988. She becomes the 57th Nunn Award honoree and the second journalist who primarily worked at the Cleveland Plain Dealer to win the award, joining Chuck Heaton (1980). Cabot was a four-time finalist for the Nunn Award (2022-25), and she is the second woman to be a Nunn honoree (Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams, 2018). The Nunn Award is given to a reporter who has made a long and distinguished contribution to pro football through coverage. The award is named for Nunn, who prior to his Hall of Fame scouting career with the Steelers, worked for 22 years at the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the most influential Black publications in the United States. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 as a contributor. Other 2025 finalists for the Nunn Award were Clarence Hill Jr. ( Mike Silver (The Athletic), and Barry Wilner (Associated Press). Cabot is a longtime member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee and is one of four women currently serving as a selector. She is also president of the Cleveland chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America. She will be honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, at the Enshrinees' Gold Jacket Dinner on Friday, Aug. 1.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mary Kay Cabot honored by Pro Football Hall of Fame as Bill Nunn Jr. Award winner
Mary Kay Cabot, a longtime Browns beat writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and will have a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Cabot has been named the 2025 Bill Nunn Jr. Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America, the PFWA announced on Thursday, May 29. The award is given to a reporter who has made a long and distinguished contribution to pro football through coverage. Advertisement A graduate of Lakewood High School and Kent State University, Cabot has covered the NFL since 1988. More Cleveland Browns: 'It's a lot of fun': Veteran Joe Flacco weighs in on rookie QBs at OTAs Mary Kay Cabot at the Cleveland Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio. Cabot is a longtime Browns beat writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Of the 57 Bill Nunn Jr. Award winners, Cabot is just the second woman. Charean Williams (Pro Football Talk) became the first in 2018. All recipients are commemorated on a plaque inside the Hall of Fame museum. 'I am truly overwhelmed and humbled to receive this prestigious award, and I can't thank my colleagues enough for recognizing my contribution to the game over all of these years,' Cabot said in a PFWA news release. 'I am especially grateful to be only the second female to win this award after the great Charean Williams, and I know there will be many more in the future. I hope I have at least in some small way helped blaze a trail for all of the fantastic women in the business today, and I am proud of all of their accomplishments. Advertisement 'I am also honored to join my late, dear friend Chuck Heaton (1980 Nunn honoree) as the only members of the Cleveland Plain Dealer to earn this distinction. Chuck taught me early on that everyone has a story, and to always do the job with integrity and kindness. Thanks to all who have come before me for all you've done for the game.' Cleveland Browns news: 4 QBs 'keep every competition the same' as they sort it out in offseason program Cabot has been an at-large member of the Hall of Fame's selection committee for the past decade. She was voted the 2015 Ohio Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association and the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors Sportswriter of the Year in 2024. She was inducted into the Cleveland Press Club Hall of Fame in 2022. 'Mary Kay Cabot is synonymous with Cleveland Browns news, and it's because she is a relentless reporter,' Akron Beacon Journal sports columnist Nate Ulrich said in the PFWA release. 'Among the countless examples of Mary Kay digging for a story is when former Browns quarterback Colt McCoy suffered a concussion in 2011. Advertisement 'The important insight Mary Kay gathered contributed to the NFL placing independent certified athletic trainers in press boxes and implementing a video system to monitor for potential concussions. Mary Kay is the epitome of a football writer who deserves to go from Cleveland to Canton.' Cabot will be honored by the Hall of Fame at the Gold Jacket Dinner on Aug. 1 at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot wins Bill Nunn Jr. Award
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lloyds faces questions on ‘no harm' claims amid mounting provisions
As the UK Supreme Court prepares to rule on whether car finance providers broke the law by failing to disclose commission arrangements to borrowers, a central question is coming into focus: how do lenders, such as Lloyds, justify claims of 'no harm' to customers while setting aside billions of pounds for potential redress? Lloyds Banking Group, the UK's largest motor finance lender, is at the centre of this debate. CEO Charlie Nunn told MPs on 20 May that Lloyds had seen 'no evidence of harm' in its car finance activities and argued that its motor finance arm, Black Horse, typically offered some of the lowest interest rates in the market. On that basis, he said, customers were unlikely to have found better deals elsewhere, even if dealer commissions were not disclosed. But the bank has also made two significant financial provisions. A £450 million charge was booked in late 2024 concerning the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) review of discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs). A second, £700 million provision followed earlier this year, after the Court of Appeal ruled that the non-disclosure of commissions could give rise to a claim in other consumer credit spaces beyond motor finance. This appears difficult to square with a claim of no customer detriment. Nunn, however, told the Treasury Select Committee that these charges should not be interpreted as admissions of harm but viewed as a result of unavoidable accounting principles. "That £450 million provision incorporates two things. One is the operational expenses of responding to claimant law firms. We have had a very large number of complaints that aren't even from our customers, so we know there are significant operational expenses in processing and trying to help customers. I don't know if they even had a policy with us, but there is a very high percentage of those. It is processing the operational complaints, supporting the customers and, if there is remediation linked to harm, paying out that remediation. "We haven't disclosed the split between those two things, but we obviously have experience. The operational expenses are very significant. We knew, based on actions that the FCA has announced, that we were going to incur significant costs. From an accounting perspective, we are legally obliged to do that. That is not linked to decisions that the FCA and Supreme Court will take on whether there was a breach of a law, whether there was harm, and if there was harm, whether appropriate remediation should be made. All those steps are independent of the accounting provision. I know that probably isn't helpful for the public, but that is the basis on which we make those decisions," he told the Committee. Even so, these provisions may also reflect the scale and complexity of proving no harm, rather than simply responding to complaints. Julian Rose, Director at Asset Finance Policy Limited, has pointed out that under the current FCA regime, the burden of proof lies with lenders. If the Supreme Court confirms that firms were required to disclose commissions, it will fall to the lenders to demonstrate that customers were not financially disadvantaged. 'In my view,' Rose writes, 'it will not be for consumers (or their representatives) to show evidence of harm. It will be for the car finance companies to show evidence of no harm. That means for each agreement, they will need evidenced that the rate provided was competitive with an industry benchmark rate.' That challenge will be especially difficult if firms no longer hold the necessary data. But will it prove more expensive for claimants or lenders? Most lenders follow standard data retention policies that delete customer records after six years. According to a recent Guardian report, claims firm Courmacs Legal says it holds around 465,000 customer complaints involving loans settled before 2018, many of which may now be missing documentation. If these consumers cannot be contacted or their agreements reviewed, they could lose out on up to £1.18 billion in compensation, Courmacs estimates. In January 2024, the FCA instructed firms not to delete car finance records while its investigation continued. But that came too late for many historical agreements. In a statement to the Guardian, the FCA said: 'If we decide to undertake a redress scheme, we will work with industry and other interested parties to ensure that it is as clear and straightforward as possible for customers to complain.' The Financing and Leasing Association (FLA), which represents major lenders including Lloyds, Santander UK and Close Brothers, has acknowledged the limitations of missing data. 'We have made clear to the FCA that consistent and fair outcomes cannot be delivered with patchy or absent data,' the FLA said. While the FCA has not yet confirmed whether a formal redress scheme will be introduced, a ruling in favour of borrowers by the Supreme Court would put pressure on the regulator to act. And if a scheme is mandated, firms will need robust documentation systems to avoid defaulting to redress. This may explain why Lloyds has already put aside more than £1.1 billion, regardless of its position that customers were not harmed. If the bank intends to prove that its loans were competitively priced, the ability to evidence that across thousands of legacy agreements will be critical — and expensive. As Rose argues, operational readiness will be key. 'There needs to be a standard table showing benchmark rates for similar loans and for similar customers,' he notes. 'Where the customer paid near the benchmark or below it, then it should be reasonable to assume there was no harm.' In the absence of such evidence, however, lenders will struggle to prove their case. Lloyds may not have admitted liability, but its financial provisions suggest it is preparing for a process where outcomes may hinge not on clear evidence of harm, but on the inability to demonstrate that harm did not occur. "Lloyds faces questions on 'no harm' claims amid mounting provisions" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UK banks urge policy support as confidence remains fragile
UK high street banks reported an increase in small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) lending volumes during oral evidence to the Treasury Select Committee on 20 May 2025. The hearing, chaired by Dame Meg Hillier MP, focused on SME access to finance in the context of post-Covid economic pressures, including the cost of living crisis, inflation and interest rate volatility. Senior executives from HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and NatWest acknowledged a significant improvement in SME borrowing levels in the first quarter of 2025 compared to 2024, but cautioned that confidence remains fragile and growth is emerging from a historically low base. Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK, noted that lending to SMEs is highly sensitive to business confidence. 'This is a market that does really well when people are feeling confident about the economy and the future, and it stalls when it has not got that level of confidence,' he said. HSBC has seen a material uptick in lending compared to the same period last year and has launched a strategic shift in business banking, combining increased investment in local relationship managers with greater automation. Vim Maru, CEO of Barclays UK, reported a 35% year-on-year increase in SME lending in 2024, with further gains in Q1 2025. 'The confidence levels have clearly ebbed and flowed through that period, and we continue to see some challenges,' he said, adding that spending time with SMEs to understand their needs has been central to the bank's strategy. Charlie Nunn, CEO of Lloyds Banking Group, highlighted that SME sentiment remains above the long-term average despite recent tax increases and trade tariff uncertainty. 'Cashflows have continued to strengthen year on year. If we can get the confidence and the plan for growth, there is resilience in this sector,' Nunn said, citing a long-running business sentiment survey. NatWest CEO Paul Thwaite confirmed that the bank has also recorded significant growth in SME lending, particularly among start-ups. NatWest claims to bank around 20% of all UK start-ups and operates 12 accelerator hubs nationally to support early-stage businesses. 'SMEs are the lifeblood of the economy,' Thwaite said. 'We need SMEs to grow and borrow, and banks need to play their part.' Labour MP Lola McEvoy, who represents Darlington, questioned the witnesses about regional disparities in SME finance, particularly in the north-east of England. Thwaite and Nunn both supported the government's proposed industrial strategy, noting its potential to provide clarity on future growth sectors and stimulate local investment. Both also emphasised the importance of engaging with combined authorities, local mayors and regional universities. Responding to concerns about access to capital for microbusinesses, Thwaite said that while there is abundant supply in the market, including challenger banks and brokers, the demand side remains underdeveloped. 'We still think there is a lot that we can do as a country to encourage awareness and understanding of the ability to access finance,' he said. Barclays' Maru said the bank recently allocated a £22 billion fund for business lending and operates a nationwide network of 40 'Eagle Labs' to support SME scale-up activity. HSBC's Stuart added that personal guarantees remain a key barrier to lending uptake, though HSBC has removed guarantees on around two-thirds of its SME book. All four banks rejected the suggestion that they are unduly risk-averse. Both Barclays and HSBC cited loan approval rates of around 80%. The CEOs also dismissed the notion that large banks are losing ground to challenger lenders, with Thwaite asserting NatWest remains the UK's largest business lender. While McEvoy raised data suggesting only 5% of SMEs consider switching lenders if declined credit, the banks stressed their commitment to supporting borrowers. Lloyds' Nunn pointed to the group's equity financing arm, Lloyds Development Capital, as a differentiator in enabling scale-up capital beyond traditional loans. The hearing also revisited legacy issues around SME mis-selling and the Business Banking Resolution Service (BBRS). Dame Siobhain McDonagh raised concerns about the perceived independence of the BBRS, given its funding and governance links to seven banks, including Lloyds and Nunn and Paul Thwaite defended the BBRS's role and governance. Nunn said the BBRS had become less active over time and that new consumer duty regulations and conduct rules are now the main channels for customer redress. 'We have independent ways of operating,' he said, 'and that is a really important point going forward.' Thwaite acknowledged the emotional and financial toll on affected businesses. 'It is critical. I like to think the industry has learned the lessons of the financial crisis,' he said, adding that banks are willing to handle specific complaints bilaterally. While lending data shows positive movement, the CEOs were clear that SME borrowing appetite remains tempered by economic uncertainty. The regional investment gap, microbusiness access challenges, and trust in financial institutions were recurring themes during the session. "UK banks urge policy support as confidence remains fragile" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
West Australian
4 days ago
- Politics
- West Australian
National Reconciliation Week to highlight powerful call for unity and action in the Pilbara
The Pilbara is joining communities across Australia in a powerful reflection on the nation's past and a united push toward a more inclusive future, during National Reconciliation Week. Speaking with the North West Telegraph, Reconciliation WA chief executive Jody Nunn highlighted the importance of this year's theme: Bridging Now to Next. 'This year's theme really plays into where we're at now, where we just had a State and Federal election and I think what Australians voted for was unity over division, primarily,' she said. 'We've got to think about things differently and really challenge how we go about it, and of course, from a reconciliation perspective, we strongly advocate for Aboriginal people to be at the heart of decision-making. 'In the Pilbara, of all places, how is it that in 2025, we have Save the Children and 54 Reasons working on the ground, in one of the most prosperous areas in the world. 'We've got to ask ourselves some pretty tough questions as we face forward, and how do we create equity and equality for First Nations people and Torres Strait Islander people.' The Pilbara's legacy of resistance and resilience adds even greater depth to the region's role in Reconciliation Week. It was here, in 1946, that 800 Aboriginal workers staged the first organised industrial strike since colonisation, challenging decades of indentured labour and demanding fair treatment. 'When we look at the closing the gap statistics, they're not moving even remotely in the direction where we need them to move,' Ms Nunn said. 'But we've also got some really amazing success stories; the Pilbara is one of those. 'There are a range of programs led by Aboriginal organisations, which are fantastic and real examples of how people can stay on country and continue to care for country. 'There is a number of languages that are reawakening and that are being handed on to the next generation. 'So we don't want to just look at the deficit, we want to look at the many success stories there are, and there are many in the Pilbara.' Ms Nunn said her hope for reconciliation in the future was for all Australians to understand the country's history. 'We've had to learn a lot of lessons along the way and we have had very tough policies; the 1905 Assimilation Act was one of the toughest policies against Aboriginal people globally, still even to this day. 'We have a history we need to understand and if we understand that, then we can be better for the future. 'Sometimes people feel that it's insurmountable; that there's too many challenges but the whole success of the reconciliation model is based on having lots of people nudging the agenda forward, not just one or two, but that a community that cares broadly.' In Newman, a live stream of the Reconciliation WA Virtual Breakfast from Boorloo Perth will be held on May 27, as well as local activities and guest speakers. In Port Hedland, there will be a range of free events and activities, including Indigenous Australians' arts and crafts, a traditional Aboriginal dance workshop and an evening of music under the stars with multi-award-winning artists Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse on Friday, May 30 at the JD Hardie Youth and Community Hub. For more information on National Reconciliation Week, head to .
