Annual Guide 2004

Contributors

ANN MARIE ALMEIDA, author of "Women Entrepreneurs: The Foundation and Future of American Enterprise" (page 26), is president and CEO of the Association of Women's Business Centers, a national not-for-profit organization representing women business owners and women's business centers.

LESLIE ATKINS, author of this issue's Indulgences column ("Learning to Play Golf," page 62), is president and owner of LA Communications, LLC, a firm that handles advertising and public relations, with a specialty in providing expert writing and editorial services. Her company is a certified Women's Business Enterprise; clients have included General Electric, Ernst & Young, the U.S. House of Representatives, J.C. Penney Company, Inc., Revlon, and many other corporations and organizations. Atkins regularly ghostwrites books, speeches, articles, and Web sites. She also trains corporate executives in the nuances of persuasive business writing and has conducted training workshops at George Washington University, The American University, the National Press Club, and the District of Columbia Bar Association, among others. Atkins' credentials range from work as a television writer to positions as a magazine editor, speechwriter, columnist, and journalist. Her articles have appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, and various national magazines.

MARY CANTANDO, author of "Using Certification to Grow Your Business" (page 41), is president of Cantando & Associates, a publishing and consulting firm that focuses exclusively on women business owners. As a member of the National Speakers' Association and a recognized expert on the growth of women-owned businesses, Cantando is a featured speaker at national and international events. She has been interviewed by, and written articles for, regional and national publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Fast Company Magazine. Cantando is a facilitator for the Women Presidents' Organization. Her business is certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and she is a member of WBENC's National Women's Forum. She is the founder and president of the Carolinas Forum, an organization of certified women business owners in North and South Carolina. Cantando is a recipient of the Impact 100 Award, was a finalist for Fast Company magazine's annual Fast 50 award, and was nominated as Office Depot's National Businesswoman of the Year. She writes a series of Insider Reports covering topics of interest to women who want to grow their businesses. She also produces an audio CD series in which she provides Winning Ideas from Winning Women. Her current book, NINE LIVES: Stories of Women Business Owners Landing on Their Feet, offers a look into the minds and hearts of nine successful women who have overcome major obstacles, both in business and in life. Her next book in this series is targeted for release in September 2004.

HARRIET DIAMOND, author of "Taking Care of Your Employees" (page 44), created Diamond Associates, an international training company based in New Jersey, in 1985 and serves as its president. The firm's clients range from Fortune 100 companies to social service agencies. Programs are customized for each industry, each company's goals, and further personalized to meet the needs of each participant. Diamond develops and presents staff development programs that work - for business, for industry, and for education. She has designed training programs and customized consulting services that span all areas of oral and written communications, personal development, and management skills. Prior to establishing Diamond Associates, Diamond was a successful, innovative administrator and recognized leader in higher education and adult education. The author of four books on writing and a project consultant to two workforce development series, Diamond continues to write articles about management and communication skills. Diamond serves on various business, education and community boards and is a member of the Enterprising Women Advisory Board. Her honors include 1995 New Jersey Business Woman of the Year from the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, three New Jersey Authors Awards, and a New Jersey Senate Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Adult Education.

KATHY ELLIOTT, author of "Angels in the Wings" (page 34), is co-author of the book The Old Girls' Network: Insider Advice for Women Building Businesses in a Man's World. Written together with Connie Duckworth and Sharon Whiteley, The Old Girls' Network is an inspirational and educational "how to" guide for women who want to start and build their own business. Elliott is an active angel investor and a board member of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Technology Capital Network, which connects entrepreneurs with investors. She is a Forum Committee member for Springboard New England, a venture capital conference for women entrepreneurs, and a steering committee member for the Commonwealth Institute's Emerging Women Entrepreneurs program. Elliott is a former director and senior vice president of David L. Babson & Company, a leading investment counsel firm.

CAROLYN FINERAN, author of "Going Global: Women Traders Around the World" (page 18), spent 25 years as the creator/owner of Tapestry, an upscale boutique in Denver. She closed her business on the last day of the last century and now brings together talented women, each of whom has each created a small business that support women's crafts and dreams, in The Gypsies Collection (online at www.gypsiescollection.com). Fineran is a life coach specializing in life transitions; she is trained and certified by the Hudson Institute in Santa Barbara and the Coaches Training Institute. She also is an international business consultant with a specialty in women business enterprises and speaks to organizations about her passions: women in business, world crafts, micro enterprise, and life transitions.

JULIE A. GARELLA, author of "The Girls' Guide to Doing the Deal" (page 36), is co-founder of McColl Garella of Charlotte, NC, an investment banking firm that targets middle-market businesses owned and operated by women and offers advice about raising capital, mergers and acquisitions, business growth, and exit strategies. Garella began her career on Wall Street at Smith Barney Harris Upham on Sept. 21, 1987; one month later, the market crashed. Undaunted, she became the top new account opener her first two years in the business and rose to become one of the youngest female vice presidents in the company. In 1997, after 10 years in the financial services industry, Garella co-founded Carnegie Capital Advisors, the Carolinas' only SEC-registered, women-owned, investment management firm. Two years later, she co-founded the investment banking/venture capital firm Fairview Capital Venture, LLC. Garella serves on the Advisory Council for the Center of Women's Business Research and the national Board of Directors for the Women's Leadership Exchange. She was awarded the Rising Star award from the Charlotte Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners in 2000 and also received the Business Journal's 40 Under 40 and Top 25 Women in Business Awards that same year.

CONNIE GLASER, author of this issue's Endnotes column ("What Queen Esther Knew," page 66), is one of the country's leading experts on women and business. Her best-selling books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and are among the most widely read and influential books for working women today. As a consultant, her client list has included AT&T, Time Warner, Coca-Cola, Deloitte & Touche, Morgan Stanley, Xerox, and the U.S. Navy. A regularly featured guest on television and radio, Glaser has appeared on The Today Show, CNN, and NBC Nightly News. She also serves as national spokesperson for the Business Women's Network, representing the interests of more than 30 million women worldwide. Her latest book, What Queen Esther Knew: Business Strategies from a Biblical Sage, has been described as "a fabulous tale of politics, leadership and ethics," and the book's themes of leadership, courage and integrity resonate as powerfully today as they did 2000 years ago. Glaser's previous best seller, Swim With the Dolphins: How Women Can Succeed in Corp America On Their Own Terms, has been ranked among the Top Ten Books on Women in Business. Glaser has been honored as Businesswoman of the Year by Office Depot and also been named to the World Who's Who of Women. She lives in Atlanta, where she is a featured columnist for the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

SHARON HADARY, author of "Women Entrepreneurs ARE the Trend!" (page 22), is the executive director of the Center for Women's Business Research, founded as the National Foundation of Women Business Owners. The Center for Women's Business Research is the premiere research institute dedicated to accumulating and sharing knowledge about women business owners and enterprises nationwide. Hadary spent 21 years with IBM as an executive in communications and public relations. She has also been an adjunct professor and lecturer at the George Washington University School of Business and Public Management, University of Maryland College Graduate School, and Georgetown University. She speaks frequently at conferences and seminars around the globe. Hadary received a 2003 Applause Award from the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and has been recognized for the critical role her organization has played in gathering and publishing the research that is needed to help the women business owners' community be recognized for the significant economic impact they have on our nation.

RANDI M. KILLIAN, author of this issue's Marketing column ("Stop the Madness . . . PLEASE!!!" page 51), has been helping companies change by growing their market positions, reinventing themselves, launching new products, and reinforcing their overall images for 25 years. She founded Randi B. Enterprises Inc. in 1993 and gives clients a strategic approach to marketing, issues management, crisis communications, branding, Web strategies, and media relations. Killian works with companies to achieve positive change through a strategic approach to all marketing activities. When it comes to communications, she says her philosophy is very clear: "It's not only what you say . . . but how you say it . . . and when . . . and where . . . and to whom."

NELL MERLINO, author of "Diversify Your Portfolio - Invest in Women Entrepreneurs" (page 32), is co-founder and CEO of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence. She also is the founder and president of Strategy Communication Action, Ltd. in New York City, a firm specializing in the creation of public education campaigns that motivate people to act. Merlino has extensive experience in the development and production of dynamic and highly effective national and international efforts and created and produced the immensely successful Take Our Daughters To Work Day for the Ms. Foundation for Women in 1993; the event is now an annual occurrence in the United States and is also observed in dozens of other countries. Prior to founding SCA, she worked in two state governments, was an advance woman in presidential politics, a union organizer, and a Fulbright Scholar. She is recognized in the book, Remarkable Women of the Twentieth Century 100 Portraits of Achievement for her work on behalf of women, girls and families, and she was named one of "50 New Yorkers to Watch in 1999" by the New York Daily News. Nell was named Woman of the Year by New Woman magazine in 1993.

SUE SALIM, author of "Create a Winning Web Site" (page 54), is president and CEO of American Data Technology, Inc (ADTI), based in Research Triangle Park, NC. ADTI provides Web hosting, Web design, and e-commerce services and business solutions and is an approved e-rate vendor for Web hosting and e-mail services for schools and libraries. ADTI has been providing Web services since 1995 and was one of the first Web hosting companies on the East Coast. The company has steadily increased its revenues despite the slow economy and "Internet bubble" burst. It has the capacity to handle large contracts and currently is providing managed, dedicated hosting and programming services to more than 2,500 clients in 42 countries.

GERI STENGEL, author of "10 Tips to Prepare for Sustainable Growth" (page 38), is president of Stengel Solutions, a strategic planning and marketing firm that helps industry leaders, emerging businesses, and nonprofits tap their growth potential. Stengel conceptualized and co-founded Women's Leadership Exchange, a mission-based business that educates women leading high-growth companies about how to take their company to the next level. In the 1990s, she headed marketing for Dow Jones Information Services and later launched Physicians' Online, a medical information service for doctors. Stengel serves on the National Association of Women's Business Owners-New York City Board, and is member of Advertising Women of New York's Executive Committee. She is a frequent speaker, especially on topics related to women and small businesses, and has appeared on CNNfn's "Entrepreneurs Only," "Good Day New York" on Fox 5, and "New York 1 News" and been quoted in Crain's New York Business and Newsday. Stengel has taught online marketing and e-commerce at New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies, American Women Economic Development, Webgrrls and The Learning Annex. She is the author of Practical Business Tips on Growing Your Business.

JULIE R. WEEKS, author of "Women Entrepreneurs: The Foundation and Future of American Enterprise" (page 26), is the executive director of the National Women's Business Council, a federal public policy advisory body comprised of women business owners and women's business association representatives.