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Victor Ciardelli, CEO & President of Rate Companies Launches “Pitch in to Fight ALS” Fundraiser with Goal of Raising $1,000,000 for ALS Nonprofits

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CHICAGO, Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Rate, the second largest retail mortgage lender in the country, is proud to announce the launch of “Pitch in to Fight ALS,” a one-week fundraising campaign from November 4 through November 8 aimed at raising $1,000,000 to support leading ALS nonprofits. The fundraiser, inspired by Rate employee Randy Ernst’s four-year battle with ALS, carries a special significance for the company and its President & CEO, Victor Ciardelli, who has been a close friend of Ernst’s for over 20 years.

Rate will match every donation up to $500,000 as part of the campaign, doubling the impact to help reach the $1,000,000 goal. Donations will benefit six nonprofit partners dedicated to ALS research and support: Augie’s Quest, Healing ALS, Hope Loves Company, I Am ALS, the Les Turner ALS Foundation, and Team Gleason.

“We’re honored to “pitch in” and make a meaningful impact in the fight against ALS,” said Victor Ciardelli, President & CEO of Rate. “Randy’s journey and the resilience he’s shown inspire us daily. This fundraiser is an opportunity for us to unite and really make a difference in the lives of those affected by ALS.”

Prominent Support and Social Media Challenge
To amplify the campaign, Ciardelli has challenged well-known figures to participate in the fundraising effort, including former NHL star Chris Chelios, fitness expert Dan Buettner, television personality Ty Pennington, UFC fighter Julianna Peña, and former NHL player Reid Simpson. Rate has also taken the fundraiser to social media, where they will challenge others to participate and contribute, further extending the campaign’s reach.

One-Week Campaign Timeline and How to Contribute
The “Pitch in to Fight ALS” fundraiser will run from November 4 to November 8, 2024. Throughout the week, Rate encourages the general public, real estate agents, and industry professionals to support the cause and make a difference. Contributions can be made directly on the campaign’s official page: RateALS.com, with Rate’s 1:1 donation match bringing the potential for significant impact.

Visit rate.com/growforgood for additional information about Rate’s community initiatives or to donate to the “Pitch in to Fight ALS” campaign.

About Rate
Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate is the #2 retail mortgage lender in the U.S., with over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include Best Mortgage Lender for First-Time Homebuyers by NerdWallet for 2023; HousingWire’s Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ digital mortgage platform in 2020, MyAccount in 2022, and Language Access Program in 2023; No. 2 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s 2022 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; the most Scotsman Guide Top Originators for 11 consecutive years; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven straight years. Visit rate.com for more. 

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SOURCE Rate

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AFP Launches No Code AI for Finance Certificate to Upskill Finance Teams

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New certificate empowers financial professionals with real-world AI skills that don’t require programming expertise

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) announced the launch of its No Code AI for Finance Certificate Program. Taught by an AI expert with a background in finance and operations, the virtual on-demand program goes beyond theory, providing practical applications of AI in finance.

Key takeaways

Practical curriculum: The certificate course, developed through feedback from finance practitioners, provides hands-on exercises and lessons on building a data foundation, training and interpreting machine learning models, generating insights with generative AI and embedding ethics in AI adoptionSelf-paced learning: Once registered for the certificate, eight hours of on-demand content across four modules are available in AFP Learn.Professional recognition: The certificate course is eligible for 9.6 CTP, FPAC and CCM Credits and provides a Digital Badge and printable certificate upon successful completion.

Why it matters
The finance function is at a critical turning point. Data volumes are growing while finance professionals are increasingly being asked to do more with less. The No Code AI for Finance Certificate equips teams to scale their impact by automating labor-intensive workflows and speeding up processes while maintaining accuracy.

Comprehensive curriculum
The certificate program includes four modules that are tailored to the specific needs of finance professionals:

Data Foundations for Trustworthy Finance Analytics: Learn about decision cycles AI can shorten, mitigation tactics for AI hallucinations, and the difference between supervised, unsupervised and generative tasks.Understanding the Full Machine Learning Process and Its Results: Learn to frame finance machine learning problems correctly, choose and defend the right success metrics for each task and translate model results into business-ready insights.Generative AI for Finance: Smarter Questions, Faster Insights: Learn to write prompts for GenAI, generate and refine GenAI-supported data-prep code, pressure test insights with GenAI and apply guardrails for GenAI.From AI Capability to Adoption & Ethics by Design: Learn to select and prioritize a first AI pilot, design an operating cadence, draft an ethics and risk control sheet, and define ROI and adoption KPIs.

Each module includes downloadable assets to help learners apply the lessons to their day-to-day work.

Key quote
“At AFP, we recognized a clear need for training that addresses finance-specific applications of AI. This certificate acts as a bridge to connect financial professionals to the transformative power of AI, ensuring they remain the indispensable strategic partners their organizations require,” said Pat Culkin, President & CEO of AFP.

Ready to lead AI adoption in your finance team?
Enroll in the certificate program and begin working toward the No Code AI for Finance Certificate.

FAQs
Who should enroll in this certificate program?
The program is designed for financial professionals at all levels looking to integrate AI into their workflows.

Are there any prerequisites for the course?
There are no prerequisites for this course. It is accessible to professionals of all technical backgrounds. No coding knowledge is required.

How is the course delivered?
The course consists of eight hours of on-demand content across four modules, which can be completed at the learner’s own pace.

How much does it cost to enroll in the certificate program?
The certificate program is $295 for AFP members and $495 for non-members.

About AFP®
Headquartered outside of Washington, D.C., and located regionally in Singapore, the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) is the professional society committed to advancing the success of treasury and finance members and their organizations. Established and administered by AFP, the Certified Treasury Professional and Certified Corporate FP&A Professional credentials set standards of excellence in treasury and finance. Each year, AFP hosts the largest networking conference worldwide for about 7,000 corporate financial professionals.

Media contact
Joe Hodanich
Senior Director, Digital Strategy & Content
Association for Financial Professionals
Email: jhodanich@financialprofessionals.org

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SOURCE Association for Financial Professionals

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KT Corp. Files 2025 Annual Report on Form 20-F

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SEOUL, South Korea, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KT Corporation (NYSE: KT), South Korea’s largest integrated telecom and digital platform service provider, announced that it has filed its Form 20- F Annual Report on April 29th, 2026 for the year ended December 31, 2025 with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States. The report can be accessed on KT’s English website at https://corp.kt.com/eng in the Investors section under Business Report as well as the SEC’s Edgar database at www.sec.gov. Shareholders may also request a hard copy of the Form 20-F Annual Report that includes audited financial statements of 2025, free of charge, by sending an e-mail to the Company’s IR department at ktir@kt.com.

About KT Corporation (KRX: 030200; NYSE: KT)

KT Corporation is the leading integrated telecommunications and platform service provider based in South Korea. Principal services include mobile, Broadband, IPTV, B2B communications, and fixed-line telephony. The Company has industry-leading market presence in Broadband, media services, and fixed-line telephony by maintaining the No.1 market share positions. Also, the Company is the No.1 player in B2B communications and offers a wide range of digital transformation services (DC, Cloud, AI, etc.). Additionally, the Company possesses a well-balanced portfolio of diverse subsidiaries focusing on media/content, financial services, real estate developments, and commerce industries.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” that are based on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about us and the industries in which we operate. The forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “project,” “should,” and similar expressions. Those statements include, among other things, the discussions of our business strategy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity and capital resources. We caution you that reliance on any forward-looking statement involves risks and uncertainties, and that although we believe that the assumptions on which our forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and, as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions could be incorrect. The uncertainties in this regard include, but are not limited to, those identified in the risk factors discussed above. In light of these and other uncertainties, you should not conclude that we will necessarily achieve any plans and objectives or projected financial results referred to in any of the forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to release the results of any revisions of these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

IR department:
+82-70-4193-4036
ktir@kt.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kt-corp-files-2025-annual-report-on-form-20-f-302757200.html

SOURCE KT Corp.

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SK TELECOM CO. LTD. FILES ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 20-F

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SEOUL, South Korea, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 29, 2026, SK Telecom Co., Ltd. filed its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2025 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The 2025 Annual Report on Form 20-F can be viewed on www.sktelecom.com, as well as from the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Printed copies of SK Telecom’s complete audited financial statements (including footnotes) as of and for the year ended December 31, 2025 can be requested, free of charge, by written request to skt.ir@sk.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sk-telecom-co-ltd-files-its-annual-report-on-form-20-f-302757201.html

SOURCE SK Telecom Co., Ltd

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