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NAWBO-LA Online Newsletter
August 2008 Issue
Incoming Board to Enhance Member Experiences
In a time of change and a world of opportunity, NAWBO-LA commits to creating, innovating, reaching and rising to new heights together with its members
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Sept. 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the installations of the NAWBO-LA and Enterprise Institute of NAWBO-LA 2008-09 Boards of Directors, as the organizations celebrate the growing power of women business owners and the impact of their leadership.
Incoming President Jane Skeeter, CEO of UltraGlas, Inc., looks forward to an exciting year with an even stronger focus on building an inclusive and diverse membership and further enhancing the membership experience.
“I want our members’ involvement to be even greater,” Skeeter said. “I would like them to know their engagement is critical and that belonging to and participating in NAWBO-LA is of great personal and professional value to them. NAWBO-LA opens a lot of doors. The benefits of membership are far greater than that of just networking.”
To that end, NAWBO-LA plans to develop a membership committee that will help new members connect with existing members, and provide additional opportunities for members to meet each other and obtain maximum value from the “My NAWBO-LA” experience.
Interim Executive Director Patty Murar added that it’s about “maintaining the incredible position NAWBO-LA has achieved and reaching forward.”
Ongoing and New Initiatives
While NAWBO-LA continues its search for a new CEO, the organization is moving ahead full force and tapping into the talents and expertise of its board, members and staff to advance existing initiatives and define new opportunities.
Skeeter wants to take the next steps in building upon NAWBO-LA’s existing impact in economic, political and social spheres.
Noting that NAWBO-LA is increasingly looked to and “invited to the table” by political and business leaders, she said, “I believe it’s time for us to leverage our influence. We’ve built an outstanding organization, and now it’s time for the rest of the community to look to us for leadership and for us to represent women business owners in a powerful way.”
Skeeter added she wants to ensure NAWBO-LA makes the woman business owner “our customer,” and for members – as well as current and past board leaders – to provide their knowledge and experience to help the organization grow.
In another area, Skeeter believes it’s important for NAWBO-LA to focus on sustainability – through programs for members and through the organization’s actions – as part of being responsible to both membership and the environment.
“It’s a legacy we need to leave behind,” she explained. “We want to show how green can be golden – how it can be profitable and responsible.”
Incoming Board Members
NAWBO-LA’s incoming board members already are creating a legacy through their work with their own businesses, NAWBO-LA and other community work. The Nomination Committee, chaired this year by Bonnie Nijst, put forward a roster of leaders with a diverse range of experience and skill sets to guide NAWBO-LA and help members get the most out of the organization.
“These are fabulous, energetic and exciting women,” Murar said. “They’re so focused and so able to stay the course and effectively problem-solve.”
The new NAWBO-LA board members, besides Skeeter as president, include:
- Daphne Anneet, president-elect (partner, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP, Los Angeles)
- Laura Yamanaka, past president (president, teamCFO, Inc., Los Angeles)
- Linda M. Harris, secretary (president, JorgensenHR, Valencia)
- Marguerite Rangel, treasurer (partner, Rangel/Schaffer of Pacific Advisors, Inc., Pasadena)
- Madelyn Alfano, vice president of membership (president, Maria’s Italian Kitchen, Van Nuys)
- Wendy Mitchell, vice president of public policy (principal, WM Consulting, Inc., Sherman Oaks, and new to the board this year)
- Natalie Cole, director at large (CEO/publisher, Our Weekly Newspaper, Los Angeles, and new to the board this year)
- Gayla Kraetsch-Hartsough, director at large (president, KH Consulting Group, Los Angeles, and new to the board this year)
- Jill Mellady, director at large (president, Mellady Direct Marketing, Santa Clarita)
- Maria de Lourdes Sobrino, director at large (founder/CEO, LuLu’s Dessert ® Corporation, Anaheim)
- Patty Murar, ex-officio member (interim executive director, NAWBO-LA)
Board Installation Event
The new NAWBO-LA board will be officially installed, along with the new Enterprise Institute of NAWBO-LA board (see additional story for details on the Enterprise Institute board), at an installation reception on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Each year this event attracts and embraces the Los Angeles business and civic community, including elected officials and corporate and community representatives.
Current event sponsors include Wachovia (Presenting Sponsor); DeDominic & Associates (Legacy Partner); and Corporate ImpressionsLA, Inc. and Southern California Edison (Bronze Sponsors).
For more information and to register for the Board Installation, visit www.nawbola.org.
 About NAWBO-LA’s 2008-09 President
Incoming NAWBO-LA President Jane Skeeter serves as CEO of UltraGlas, Inc., a Chatsworth, Calif., designer, manufacturer and distributor of decorative architectural glass and glass tile. Founded by Skeeter in 1987, UltraGlas pioneered, developed and introduced the unique heat slumping (embossing) process known as UltraGlas® to the U.S. architectural and design communities. The company has become an acknowledged world leader in architectural glass technology, as well as a primary resource for unique decorative glass on an international scale.
Skeeter, a certified interior designer and a member of the California and National Glass Associations, frequently contributes to magazine articles and gives guest lectures at numerous conferences and trade events across the country. She also cherishes the opportunity to create her own fine art. |
Membership Drive & Diversity Expo on Sept. 9
Register now for the annual NAWBO-LA Membership Drive & Diversity Expo, designed to help women business owners make connections and build resources.
The 2008 event will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens in downtown Los Angeles. Highlights will include a luncheon panel discussing the numerous opportunities on how to do business with corporations and ways to secure contracting bids for city and state agencies, plus workshops to learn more about certifications and how to do business with government agencies.
For registration, sponsorship and exhibit opportunities, visit www.nawbola.org.
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