Latest news with #Stellar
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BCforward Deepens AI Capabilities with a Major Strategic Investment in Stellar
Move strengthens BCforward's ability to deliver cutting-edge artificial intelligence solutions to Fortune 500 clients. INDIANAPOLIS, June 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BCforward, a leader in professional services and workforce management solutions, announced today a major strategic investment in Stellar, an AI-native services company specializing in scalable, enterprise-grade artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. This move enhances BCforward's capabilities in generative AI, large language models (LLMs) and machine learning (ML), enabling clients to drive innovation, streamline operations and accelerate growth. The investment reflects BCforward's commitment to embedding advanced technologies into its consulting and digital transformation offerings. It also establishes Stellar as a core innovation engine behind BCforward's AI-led service capability, delivering intelligent solutions across industries such as financial services, healthcare, life sciences and technology. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. "Our clients are eager to harness the potential of AI in ways that drive meaningful outcomes," said Justin Christian, founder and chief executive officer of BCforward. "By embedding Stellar's AI expertise directly into our delivery model, we are helping clients solve their most complex problems and unlock business value." Christian added, "We are very excited to be working with the Stellar team to bring industry-leading technologies to our customers across the globe." As a result of this investment BCforward has expanded its digital transformation offering with an advanced AI services capability that integrates Stellar's expertise to deliver high-impact solutions that are both pragmatic and future-ready. This investment further strengthens BCforward's global delivery footprint, including its recently expanded Asia-Pacific Global Capabilities Center in Hyderabad, India – enabling the company to deliver AI-powered solutions at greater scale and efficiency. "At Stellar, our mission is to make AI work for real business," said Brett Flinchum, chief executive officer at Stellar. "We're proud to bring our proven frameworks and deep technical experience to BCforward and its world-class clients. We believe AI doesn't have to be hard. That's why we're focused on being accelerators and enablers, helping organizations adopt AI safely, effectively, and at speed to unlock new customer value and solve problems that were previously out of reach." This announcement follows Stellar's recently closed $2.7 million funding round, which underscores its growth trajectory and strong market interest in enterprise-grade AI services. To learn more about how BCforward is delivering results with embedded AI, visit to download the white paper, Leveraging AI: Strategies and Insights. About BCforward Founded in 1998 by Justin Christian, BCforward is a globally recognized provider of workforce solutions and consulting services, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. BCforward has grown to achieve an annual revenue of nearly $500 million and a workforce of 4,000 employees worldwide. Serving sectors such as healthcare, life sciences, financial services, and technology, BCforward is a trusted partner delivering digital transformation services that help organizations modernize operations and achieve measurable impact leveraging human-centric design principles. With a commitment to client success, innovation, and diversity, BCforward is proud to support Fortune 500 clients in achieving their strategic goals. About Stellar Stellar empowers organizations to unlock their competitive edge by integrating generative AI (genAI), large language models (LLMs), and machine learning (ML) across business operations. As a tech-enabled services leader, Stellar helps businesses assess AI readiness, identify and prioritize opportunities, and implement secure, next-generation solutions that drive operational excellence, accelerate revenue growth, and enhance customer experiences. Learn more at www.GetStellar.ai. View source version on Contacts Abhishek Sambatur - BCforward 317-986-8294Katie Schimmel - Stellarkatie@ 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
Sky News AU
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Maori-white girl': Bikini-clad AFL WAG Rebecca Judd shocks fans as she reveals her little-known New Zealand indigenous ethnicity
Rebecca Judd has shocked fans by revealing her little-known ethnicity. On Monday, the wife of retired AFL legend Chris Judd, 42, took to Instagram Stories to share a video of herself flaunting her signature bikini body at the couple's weekender on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Judd donned the crocheted bikini from Australian swimwear brand It's Now Cool's new collection while proudly strutting around her outdoor spa. However, it was the mother of four revealing her ethnicity in the caption which really turned fans' heads. "Winter fit check with @itsnowcool. This little Maori-white girl needs a tan. See you soon, Broome," she wrote. Judd seldom mentions her New Zealand heritage from her mother Kerry Brown's side. Her father Hugh Twigly, is of Scottish and Irish descent. In 2023, the AFL WAG told Stellar magazine her family often travelled to New Zealand in her childhood, influenced by her mother's heritage. "Mum's side is MÄori, so we did a lot of trips to New Zealand when we were kids," the model said. "No one ever guesses that I'm MÄori. No-one. Ever." Judd said her family would all flock to her at her grandfather's farm in New Zealand, where they would enjoy a hÄngÄ«, a traditional MÄori cooking method in which food is cooked in an underground oven. "My pop has a big farm, and we'd have all the uncles and aunties over to have a hÄngÄ« every time we went over," she said. Judd's parents Hugh and Kerry relocated from New Zealand to Australia in the late 1970s to take advantage of the West Australian mining boom. After her parents separated, Judd and her sister Kate split their time between Perth and regional WA. In her wide-ranging interview with Stellar, Judd mentioned her family struggled to make ends meet growing up. "We didn't have much growing up, and every dollar counted, so we really respected our food, our home and our belongings," she said. In 2007, Judd moved to Melbourne with then-boyfriend Chris Judd. She completed her studies in speech and language pathology at La Trobe University and worked with adults in rehabilitation at the Alfred Hospital. Judd married Chris in Melbourne's Carousel at Albert Park in 2010, and they have four children: Oscar, 14, Billie, 11, and twin sons Tom and Darcy, nine. The couple documented their extensively redesigned $7.3 million Spanish Colonial house in Brighton, Melbourne's southeast, in the media.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
New voice in Irish fiction Vicki Notaro dreams of her stories making it to the big screen
LONG STORY SHORT | Vicki Notaro gave up a solid career in magazines to pursue her ambition of writing books, and she tells Denise Smith how she dreams of her stories making it on to the big screen some day 'I love a sex scene,' laughs the 39-year-old Dubliner, who's just released her second novel, Long Story — a whip-smart tale of the complexities of female friendship, with plenty of sex, sass and chaos in between. 'I feel like they're a bit less filthy and overt than they were in my first book. Maybe they're not. Maybe I'm just more used to it. Either way, I do feel sorry for the poor actress who has to narrate the audiobook — it must feel awkward,' she grins. 'But for me, sitting alone writing them, it's grand. I enjoy it.' Vicki's debut, Reality Check, was a commercial and critical success, topping book charts and cementing her place as an exciting new voice in Irish fiction. Despite her seamless segue into the literary world, her decision to leave her role as editor-in-chief of Stellar magazine wasn't made lightly. Reflecting on the identity shift of stepping away from a high-status job, the You Had Me at Hello podcast host explains: 'For me, it was more about disengaging my ego. I had worked my way up in Irish media and I was managing director of a company that publishes three amazing magazines. For me, that's your job title and not who you are, and once you make a decision to walk away from that, you are also walking away from people licking up to you in a way,' she says with impressive candour. Vicki Notaro Laughing, she adds: 'And getting great opportunities like press trips and free makeup. You have to be secure in doing that, and hopefully you've built yourself a strong enough reputation that people will still remember you and want to talk to you about your work. And that has come to pass. So I feel very lucky in that way as well.' Delving into the financially viability of her career change, Vicki laughs when we probe if she's now on the pig's back. 'I'm still very much the new girl. So I mean, the hope is that eventually I'll be on the pig's back. But I have a very supportive husband. And yeah, I mean, of course I was walking away from a salary, so I was walking away from guaranteed money. But really I'd already made the decision to leave my job before I even knew I had a book deal,' she explains. 'The magazine industry has changed a lot, and selling on shelves is harder than ever.' Though still a relatively new name in fiction, there's no denying that the Tallaght native is quickly carving out her niche in a literary tradition rich with Irish women's voices that spotlight women's lives with wit, warmth and insight. 'We've such a rich literary tradition in Ireland. I'm not claiming to be any sort of literary writer, but I think we do have such a rich history of the likes of Marian Keyes, Patricia Scanlan, Cathy Kelly, writing for women and writing about women's stories at every stage of their lives. Vicki's new book Long Story delves into female friendships and all that goes with them News in 90 seconds - June 2nd 'And I think other Irish women just really relate to that. And there's nothing, to me, like reading an Irish book because you just relate to it so much more. We've such a specific humour and turn of phrase.' While Long Story is full of sex, sass, and escapism, it's also got heart. 'It's about female friendship — the complexity of it, how it's rarely straightforward,' Vicki says. 'We tend to put all our energy into romantic relationships, but our platonic ones deserve just as much attention. I hope people come away from the book laughing, maybe crying, and feeling like they've spent time with characters they recognise or relate to. It's glossy, it's fun, it's light — but it's meaningful, too. And honestly, I just want to keep doing this forever.' Like most authors, Vicki dreams of a screen adaptation but she's fully aware of how difficult it is to break into the TV and film industry. 'I think it's a lot harder than anyone realises, even harder than I realised,' she admits. 'There are so many books published every week, not just in Ireland but globally. Everyone has that dream. What you really need is a producer to say, like my publisher did, 'I get you. I see your vision.' Look at Marian Keyes —30 years on, her Walsh Sisters books are being adapted into a series, and Grown Ups is on the way too. It can happen at any time.' When asked who she'd cast to play her beloved characters, she politely declines to comment. 'I'm far too close to them. I have a very specific image in my head, and I think there's a reason authors shouldn't cast their own work,' she says. Still, she gives us a taste. 'Sean Sweeney, the romantic interest-slash-villain of Long Story? I saw someone in my head who's a mix of Paul Mescal and Colin Farrell — rugged, tattooed, kind of bad-boy energy. If any man out there fits that description… congrats, the role is yours!' Now already putting pen to paper as she writes her third book, this is one seasoned journalist that is truly keeping her feet on the ground. 'I still feel like the new girl,' she says with a grin. 'But I'm so grateful. Vicki's new book Long Story 'The feedback has been gorgeous. You can go through life thinking the world's a bit dark, and then something like this reminds you people are actually lovely. 'Sometimes I am like, 'I can do this, you've built a great career and you have brilliant contacts, it's all about ideas and you've got good ideas and the ability to see them through' and the other side of it is 'who do you think you are?' which is so Irish. Right now though I couldn't be happier.' Long Story Short is available in all good book stores now.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
AFL WAG Bec Judd refers to herself as a 'Maori-white girl' as she shows off her tiny figure in skimpy swimwear
Rebecca Judd has surprised fans by referring to herself in an unexpected way while flaunting her famous figure in a racy new video. The AFL WAG, 42, took to social media to share a clip of herself strutting around her backyard spa in a crocheted bikini by It's Now Cool, proudly showing off her slender, gym-honed physique. Bec looked effortlessly glamorous in the footage, which captured her walking confidently in the revealing swimwear. But it was her caption that really turned heads: 'Winter fit check with @itsnowcool. This little Maori-white girl needs a tan. See you soon, Broome.' The remark left many fans surprised - but it's a nod to her little-known New Zealand heritage. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. In August 2023, Bec reflected on her cultural background while speaking to Stellar. The mother-of-four, who is soon to start on The Amazing Race, revealed she is Māori on her mother's side, with fans rarely guessing it as her heritage. 'Mum's side is Māori, so we did a lot of trips to New Zealand when we were kids,' the catwalk star told the publication. 'No-one ever guesses that I'm Māori. No-one. Ever.' Bec said her grandfather has a large farm in New Zealand, with their family regularly enjoying a hāngī - a traditional way of steaming food underground. 'My pop has a big farm, and we'd have all the uncles and aunties over to have a hāngī every time we went over,' she added. During Bec's wide-ranging Stellar interview, she also spoke of her working class roots to the publication. 'We didn't have much growing up and every dollar counted, so we really respected our food, our home and our belongings,' she said. Both Rebecca's mother and father, Hugh Twigley and Kerry Brown, are from New Zealand. They lived in a small cray fishing town called Leeman. The pair moved to Western Australia in the late 70s to take advantage of the mining boom, before having Bec and older sister, Kate. Kerry and Hugh separated early in Bec's childhood, but remain close friends. 'When they moved, mum was 16 and Dad was were like two kids,' Rebecca previously told the Herald Sun. 'I look back and think, ''I can't believe they were ever together'',' Bec added. Bec is married to former AFL star Chris Judd and the couple have four children: Oscar, 14, Billie, 11, and twins Darcy and Tom, eight.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Dragon Join The Biggest Pub Gig In The World
'Rain', 'April Sun In Cuba', 'Are You Old Enough' tunes we all know, tunes we all love and tunes we'll all see live and in the flesh on Saturday 2 August at Spark Arena. That's right folks, Dragon are the latest act announced on The Biggest Pub Gig In The World. Joining Stellar*, Fur Patrol and Goodshirt, for a night that promises to take you back to the good old days. Back when houses were under 200 grand, cheese was $4.99 a block, and you could get a jug of beer for a tenner. When petrol was a buck a litre, your phone bill came in the post, and every night ended with a kebab and a cab ride home for under 20 bucks. Come and relive those memories, as Spark Arena will be transformed into an old school pub, couches on the floor, beer on tap, maybe a kebab or two, probably no blocks of cheese, but there will be a meat raffle! Expect anthem after anthem, cold beers in hand, and all the singalongs your nostalgic heart can handle. With one final announcement next Monday, don't delay in sussing your tickets! Tickets still under $100! Just $99.90 until this Friday 6 June.
