Woman of the Year :

2004 Enterprising Women of the Year Issue

With nominations pouring in from all over the country, the judges for the 2004 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards had their work cut out for them. In the end, they selected six women representing a wide variety of industries. Each winner is the CEO of a company that achieved outstanding growth over the past year. And, all six winners have found extraordinary ways to give back to their communities and to mentor other women in business.

In the pages that follow, you will read about each woman in more detail. But, here is a snapshot of our 2004 winners:

• Beth Bronfman of Leibler-Bronfman Lubalin Advertising, a New York-based, full-service advertising agency with $38 million in revenues.

• Rebecca Boenigk of Neutral Posture, an $18 million plus Texas-based manufacturer of ergonomic and multi-purpose seating and accessories.

• Nikki Olyai of Innovision Technologies Inc., a 10-year-old, Michigan-based advanced engineering and information technology research and development firm with revenues of $5 million.

• Leeanna Roman Fournier of Providence Pediatric Medical Day Care Inc., a pediatric health care center serving predominantly children of color in urban Camden, NJ.

• Joyce Patterson-Saleem of JMPS Phlebotomy Services, a Washington, DC-based mobile medical laboratory; and

• Karla VandenBerg of Monkey Dooz, a Wapato, WA-based owner of three children’s hair and spa salons.

The Enterprising Women Hall of Fame recognizes the outstanding lifetime accomplishments of individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing the growth and development of women-owned enterprises.

2004 inductees into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame include: Terry Neese and Barbara Kasoff, founders of Women Impacting Public Policy; Irene Natividad, president of the Global Summit of Women; Connie K. Duckworth, a retired partner of Goldman Sachs, and the founding partner of Circle Financial Group, as well as past chairman of the board of the Committee of 200; Nell Merlino, co-founder of Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence; Harriet Michel, president of the National Minority Supplier Development Council; and Adrienne Hall, president and CEO, The Hall Group, a Los Angeles-based advertising and marketing communications firm.

The magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Beatrice Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of The Bold Initiative, and the founder of the American Woman’s Economic Development Corporation (AWED), the first organization in the nation to train women to start, run and grow their own businesses.

Beth Bronfman

Leibler-Bronfman Lubalin Advertising, New York-based, full-service advertising agency with $38 million in revenues

The advertising industry is like a roller coaster, with ups and downs that depend on the state of the economy. Marketing budgets are usually the first to go. So, growing a successful advertising agency in a down market can be a real challenge.

Beth Bronfman met that challenge in 2003 by convincing her clients to keep their names in front of the consumer even when business was off to avoid losing brand equity to competitors who were advertising. With a track record for creating successful brands, Beth leads the account team at her New York City ad agency, takes responsibility for all new business ventures, and personally works on building all of her client’s brands.

With $38 million in 2003 revenues, Leibler-Bronfman Lubalin Advertising has enjoyed 18 years of success as a full-service agency. Now, giving back to the community and to other women-owned firms is important to Beth. She serves on the board of Dancing in the Streets, a non-profit organization that sponsors performances that transform unusual architectural settings, particularly in inner city communities. The organization enhances the quality of life for thousands of New Yorkers—many of whom are underprivileged and underserved—by providing them with opportunities for meaningful engagement in the arts.

Beth supports her own growth and the growth of other women entrepreneurs through her memberships in the Women Presidents’ Organization and the Committee of 200.

“My father taught me that I could be both successful and nice at the same time. My mother convinced me that I could achieve anything.”

Rebecca Boenigk

Neutral Posture, $18 million plus Texas-based manufacturer of ergonomic and multi-purpose seating and accessories

In 1989, when ergonomics was a relatively new applied science, and virtually unheard of in the corporate world, Rebecca Congleton Boenigk and her mother, Jaye Congleton, set up shop in Rebecca’s garage and began building chairs based on the concepts developed by her inventor/engineering father, Dr. Jerome Congleton.

Rebecca began educating customers on the health and safety advantages of ergonomic seating. Initially, she was the company’s sales force, operations manager, and marketing director all rolled into one.

As the years passed and customers became more aware of their ergonomic needs, Neutral Posture became a driving force in the industry as the only woman-owned chair manufacturer in the United States.

A strong proponent of certifying your business as woman-owned, Rebecca now serves on the Board of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Her company’s designation as a certified women’s business enterprise helped her grow the company in 2003 to over $18 million in sales.

Her Texas-based company gives back to the community in a big way, including donating chairs for auctions, prizes and gifts to over 100 charities. She is also actively involved in raising funds for breast cancer research, the American Cancer Society, and is a founding member of the Women’s Leadership Council of the United Way.

Winner in the category of a business with more than $5 million and up to $25 million in annual revenues

“ I had no idea I could work this hard or have this much determination to succeed. I also didn’t realize how many people my company would impact.”

Nikki Olyai

Innovision Technologies Inc., 10-year-old, Michigan-based advanced engineering and information technology research and development firm with revenues of $5 million

Innovision Technologies, Inc. is an advanced engineering and information technology research and development firm. The company’s founder, Nikki Olyai, says Innovision is contributing to the success of high-tech driven government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, and prime suppliers such as Lockheed-Martin. Her firm also supports Fortune 500 companies such as Ford Motor Company, Visteon, DaimlerChrysler, and Unisys Corporation.

With $5 million in revenues, Nikki’s 10-year-old company has garnered an array of awards, including the SBA’s Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award in 2003, and Ford Motor Company’s Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Award in 2001. Michigan ’s U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow has called Olyai’s company an example of how Michigan-based businesses are fostering cutting-edge technology.

As important as her goal of making Innovision an international player in the information technology and engineering industries is Nikki’s commitment to giving back to her community.

Innovision provides scholarships to high school students, donates computers to schools and churches, and provides real-world job opportunities and training to high school co-op students. The company partners with a non-profit organization, Reach for Kids, to mentor 900 male students at Martin Luther King, Jr. High School in Detroit, emphasizing the importance of self-concept, time management, goal setting, and respect. Nikki has been recognized for her leadership in sponsoring programs that assist homeless and at-risk children in the Detroit community.

As proud as she is of her company’s success, Nikki sees her true mission as empowering and making personal connections with the future leaders of the world.

Winner in the category of a business with more than $5 million and up to $25 million in annual revenues

“Be tenacious—success takes time. Remember not to measure your success solely in terms of size and revenue, but commit yourself to excellence and realize the value of the efforts you make to transcend the barriers that bind you.”

Leeanna Roman Fournier

Providence Pediatric Medical Day Care Inc., pediatric health care center serving predominantly children of color in urban Camden, NJ

Providence Pediatric Medical Day Care serves the racially and ethnically diverse community of Camden, NJ. Leeanna Roman Fournier purchased the poorly performing company five years ago and turned it into a profitable business venture, with $3.6 million in 2003 revenues. With a goal of providing world class health care, this Hispanic-American entrepreneur says her goal is to open doors for children—giving them an opportunity to achieve. Good health care, she says, is the first step. Friends say her greatest challenge has been standing up to people who underestimated what a young, minority woman could accomplish.

With a strong interest in public policy, Leeanna invested her own money to found Hispanics Impacting Public Policy (HIPP), a national advocacy organization. She is also a National Founding Partner of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and is a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization and the National Association of Women Business Owners, South Jersey Chapter.

Leeanna advocates holding government accountable for regulatory and legislative changes that impact economic growth. She hopes to force a national discussion on viable alternatives to existing health care insurance plans to address the problem of the millions of American who are uninsured.

As a mentor to young women entrepreneurs, Leeanna places an emphasis on recruiting women of color and Hispanic women for positions within her company. She encourages passionate women entrepreneurs to stay grounded and work for change in the world as they achieve success in their businesses.

Winner in the category of a business with more than $1 million and up to $5 million in annual revenues

“To keep a positive attitude when challenges emerge, I draw on the ‘Four F’s’—faith, family, focus, and fundraising. I gained strength from my father, who was a New York Times reporter, an immigrant from Puerto Rico, and my mentor.”

Joyce Patterson–Saleem

JMPS Phlebotomy Services, a Washington, DC-based mobile medical laboratory

As an experienced health care professional, Joyce Patterson-Saleem knew there was a strong market for a company that could provide mobile medical laboratory services. She had the experience to provide these services, but she lacked the collateral to fund her business and get it off the ground.

Count Me In for Economic Independence, a non-profit organization that uses a unique, women-friendly scoring system to make micro-business loans available online, stepped in and gave Joyce the funds she needed to start her business. Five years later, she’s proud to be the first company funded by Count Me In to reach the $1 million sales mark.

JMPS Phlebotomy Services provides an important service to the Washington, DC metro area. Joyce manages the company and personally calls on home-bound patients who need laboratory services. Her company offers back up support to medical labs, hospital labs, specialty labs (for services such as DNA collection for paternity suits), and phase one, two, and three research drug studies.

With the company’s debt nearly repaid, Joyce is looking forward to rapid growth for her business. She plans to expand beyond the metro DC area and has been asked to consider national expansion for the company.

Giving back to the community that has supported her business is important to her. She provides food, money, and her time to organizations that feed and shelter the homeless. She has a particular interest in non-profit organizations that focus on helping women find jobs to provide for their families and increase their self-worth. She is frequently asked to speak to girls and young women on how to start a business, and takes pride in mentoring and advising other women. She is a strong advocate of attending SBA-sponsored workshops to build entrepreneurial skills.

Winner in the category of a business with up to $1 million in annual revenues

“The most important thing is to follow your dreams. Don’t get discouraged. It’s hard work and you will need to put a lot of yourself into it to succeed, but remember that all things are possible if you believe in yourself."

Karla VandenBerg

Monkey Dooz, Wapato, WA-based owner of three children’s hair and spa salons

A native of Canada, Karla VandenBerg came to the United States 14 years ago with a dream of becoming a golf pro. Along the way, she met a dairy farmer and moved with him to Washington State, where they started a dairy farm with 90 cows. Two children and 2,000 cows later, Karla found inspiration in Oprah Winfrey’s advice to follow your passion. Her passion, she decided, was to launch a new business based on a simple concept. Most kids, her son included, hate to get their hair cut. So why not make it fun?

Monkey Dooz was born three years ago and has already expanded to a three-salon and spa chain. Along the way, funding from Count Me In provided the necessary capital to help Karla grow. Her five-year plan includes franchising the salon/spa business around the country.

Giving back to the community is an important part of Monkey Dooz and Karla does it in a variety of creative ways. She raises money for families in need by sponsoring local fashion shows and offering haircuts with half of the proceeds donated to charity. She offers free makeovers around the holidays to members of the Boys and Girls Clubs. Proceeds from ‘Glamour Girl’ parties go to the Make a Wish Foundation. Single moms are given makeovers for their daughters during prom season. Bikes and scholarship monies are donated to the Indian school in the community. Girls with entrepreneurial spirit and quality home-made products sometimes find their products on the shelves at Monkey Dooz. Anything that fosters self-esteem, Karla reasons, will help these kids accomplish more in life.

Meanwhile, the dairy is doing well. Milk prices are up and she hopes the farm will have 3,400 cows in the next five years.

Winner in the category of a business with up to $1 million in annual revenues

“I opened Monkey Dooz shortly before 9/11. After the terrorist attack, my banker suggested I close the shop, stay home and cook dinner. Fortunately I ignored him and kept going. When you are faced with this type of chauvinism, you just have to keep believing in yourself, your passion, and your dreams.”

Our 10 Finalists

Denise Baker, Lisa Cini, Sandra Fekete, Clarice Kennedy, Julie Lenzer Kirk, Cecelia McCloy, Nina McLemore, Ann Sachs, Cassandra Sanford and Marnie Walker

With so many outstanding women business owners across the country, our judges selected 10 finalists deserving of recognition for their outstanding business growth and their track records for giving back to their communities. The finalists included:

• Denise Baker of DRB Electric

New Mexico-based electrical contracting firm.

• Ann Sachs of Sachs Morgan Studio

New York City-based theatre design company.

• Nina McLemore of Nina McLemore LLC

New York City company specializing in designer clothing for executive and professional women.

• Julie Lenzer Kirk of Applied Creative Technologies Germantown, MD consulting and IT solutions firm specializing in the food and beverage industry.

• Marnie Walker of Student Express Limited

Toronto-area company that provides transportation for students attending special education programs in the greater Toronto area.

• Clarice Kennedy of Chamrock Computer Network Inc.

New York-based company that is a leader in support center solutions serving Fortune 500 companies.

• Cassandra Sanford of Kelly Mitchell Group Inc. Clayton, MO-based information technology company.

• Cecelia McCloy of Integrated Science Solutions Inc. Walnut Creek, CA-based science and engineering firm.

• Lisa Cini of Mosaic Ltd.

Ohio-based firm specializing in design and space planning for long-term care facilities, restaurants and corporate environments.

• Sandra Fekete of Fekete & Company

Business to business marketing communications firm based in Columbus, OH.

(This article is reprinted from the 2004 Enterprising Women of the Year edition of Enterprising Women magazine. Copyright 2004 Enterprising Women Inc.  Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited, except by express permission of the publisher.)