CONTENTS
FEATURES
COLUMNS AND REPORTS
Final Thoughts on My Term as Forum President
I can't believe that my year as The Forum's president is coming to an end. This has been one of the most exciting and wonderful times I have ever had. After 12 months of seeing the innermost workings of this volunteer organization, sometimes under tight deadlines and last minute changes, I can only say "wow!"
If there has ever been any doubt in your minds that this is not a committed, intelligent, resourceful group of women, let me put that doubt to rest. If only all companies were run with the same dedication, good humor and intelligence as The Forum. And things are only going to get better for us.
Sharon Hardy, our new executive director, is on board and going full steam ahead. The new board for 2000_2001 has been named. Milissa Tadeo will be your new president, and I canÕt think of a more capable person.
Linda Rosanio, our Visibility Committee chair and Chairman and President of the Star Group Advertising Agency, has taken The Forum of Executive Women as their latest client. Her company will be redesigning and adding to The Forum Web site, designing our collateral materials, creating ads and other materials and putting together a PR program on a pro bono basis. Her commitment to The Forum and the value of this work is overwhelming. We can't thank her or her staff enough.
And while I'm at it, I'd like to thank the other board members who have made my job so pleasant: Linda Gloss, Barbara Teaford, Helen Bosley, Claudia Post, Lynn Nowicki, Denise Devine, Della Clark, Chris James-Brown, Lori Reiner, Janet Brutschea Haugen and Milissa. Also thanks to our administrative arm, Jane Barr Pino and Associates.
Thanks also to all of you who have worked on committees or special projects. I'm very proud of you all. I'm grateful to The Forum for giving me this opportunity to serve in such a distinguished role. I'm looking forward to being just as involved in my new position as ex- officio member of the board and on as many other committees as I can fit into my schedule.
--Marian Marchese
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Introducing The Forum NewsNet: Linking Members with the Media
In a series of meetings with media leaders, The Forum Media Dialogue Committee asked how we could help the media include more women as sources of news and comment. One answer is to make it easy for reporters to access our membership.
This month, we will kick off The Forum NewsNet, a link via e-mail for reporters and Forum members. Reporters seeking comment, information and opinion from our membership can e-mail their queries to The Forum office, which will relay them to Forum members.
To make it work for you and The Forum,
1. Check your e-mail often for media inquiries from The Forum office.
2. Respond as requested when you can provide what the reporter seeks.
3. Respect deadlines; they are often same day.
4. Let us know how it's working.
5. Pass along information on The Forum NewsNet to editors and reporters you know.
Everyone wins with The Forum NewsNet. Reporters will get what they're looking for and expand their lists of knowledgeable sources. Forum members will contribute to media coverage, and coverage will become more inclusive of women.
Members with e-mail addresses will automatically receive NewsNet queries. If you prefer not to receive them, please notify The Forum office at 215-628-9944.
--Donna Brennan
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Report on Programs
Among The Forum's many strengths is the richness in diversity of its programs, which mirrors the richness of experience and diversity of The Forum membership. Our programs change and grow to new levels each year as our membership evolves. Our objectives are to provide programs that are selective and cannot necessarily be duplicated elsewhere; allow for networking opportunities both within the organization and with other organizations; and provide exposure for the organization. From educational seminars and workshops to networking receptions and dinners to honor our members, our programs this calendar year have provided a wide array of opportunities for our members to network, acquire information and generally gain more value from your membership.
The Program Committee meets monthly to review ideas, speakers and venues for programs. The committee actively solicits ideas for topics and speaker contacts among our members on an ongoing basis and shares programming opportunities at these meetings. Our committee represents a wide array of interests and backgrounds from the corporate, professional, for profit and nonprofit communities and brings this diversity to the discussions and decisions about our programming. Our programs have focused on honing leadership and media awareness skills and have provided information and self-development on investment strategies and addiction awareness in the home and workplace. This year one of our most significant accomplishments in programming was The Forum Advance, which provided a unique opportunity to gain new perspectives on the current and future business landscape, drawing from the expertise of our members and complemented by outside guest speakers. Even more significant was the opportunity afforded by the Advance to provide an environment to build lasting relationships among our members to share experiences and the commonality of issues we face in our collective success as leaders in the Philadelphia area.
We have joined forces with other organizations such as the Women's Investment Network and WHYY in offering programs that provide The Forum with exposure in the Delaware Valley and expand our access to programming resources. And the annual banner program-the Leadership Breakfast-continues to successfully draw our membership together and market The Forum in the "executive suite" as the place to find women leaders in the area.
As we grow and change as an organization, the committee continues to encourage our membership to provide input to our programming efforts. We are looking for your ideas as we create the programming agenda for the 2000-2001 year. We want to hear from you! We also encourage you to participate actively on the Programming Committee. Please e-mail Gaye Pino at hrsx02b@yahoo.com or Sharon Hardy, our executive director, at sharonhardy@home.com with your comments and suggestions or if you'd like to join the committee.
--Milissa M. Tadeo and
Sharon S. Hardy
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Workshop Gives Members a Chance to Meet the Press
In preparation for launch of The Forum NewsNet, (see article on page 1), the Media Dialogue Committee presented a workshop in February at WHYY studios on effectively and confidently facing the media.
The workshop began with a panel on how-to's. Pamela Browner, Vice President of Business and Community Relations, Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc., covered crafting your message for clarity and credibility. Forum member Ellen Foley, Managing Editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, presented tips on print media interviews. Linda Munich, Public Affairs Director and Executive Producer, WPVI-TV, gave tips on meeting the broadcast media.
Members had a chance to apply what they learned, preparing messages for scenarios assigned to their work groups. Designated spokespersons from each group faced the media in "press conferences," responding to questions from the "press corps" of Jill Porter and Dan Geringer, Philadelphia Daily News columnists, and Channel 17 "News at 10" reporter Fran Viola. Daily News photographer Alan Brian Nielsen provided the experience of facing a news photographer, and the photos accompanying this story. Panelists Pamela Browner, Ellen Foley and Linda Munich provided feedback.
A videotape of the workshop is available, thanks to WHYY.
--Donna Brennan
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April Meeting Report: The Impact of Addiction
Board member Helen Bosley; past president Becki Carney; and James C. Berman, M.D., chief of staff of the Caron Foundation, were panelists for the April program on the impact of addiction.
Bosley spoke about her daughter's addiction. Her behavior had become argumentative and disrespectful, although "she was a perfect angel in the presence of anyone but us," Bosley added. No one suspected alcohol and drugs until a classmate provided the first clues on the source of her problems. "My daughter now says, 'Don't be too hard on yourself; I was very good at covering up.'" Bosley described how her daughter got help from AA and has stayed in recovery.
Carney talked about her early experiences with alcohol and how, despite her drinking and reliance on tranquilizers and sleeping pills, she enjoyed considerable success in her career. "I was drinking excessively when I was president of The Forum," she said. "For years, I knew I had a problem; I just didn't know what it was." She spent years in psychotherapy before a friend suggested she might have a drinking problem. Becki sought help, including inpatient treatment at the Caron Foundation, and has enjoyed the rewards of recovery for the past 13 years. She now serves on Caron's board.
Dr. Berman explained that alcoholism is a disease, "a bio-psych-social disease characterized by progression and denial," not a failing. He said in 14% of adults who drink alcohol, the brain processes drugs and alcohol in a way that results in addiction, and that susceptibility to addiction is inherited. Addiction in women is different than it is for men: the disease progresses faster, women hide it better and they are more likely to relapse.
He responded to questions on how early to talk to children about addiction and how to deal with an employee who may have a problem with addiction.
The not-for-profit Caron Foundation is a nationally recognized addiction treatment center located just outside Reading. For more information, visit the web site at www.caron.org. or phone 800-678-2332.
--Donna Brennan
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Friendships Formed, Bonds Reconnected and Information Shared at Forum Advance
What happens when nearly 70 Forum members get together for an overnight? Friendships are formed, bonds are reconnected and information is shared and learned. That's what The Forum Advance was supposed to be about-and that's exactly what it delivered.
Everyone who attended The Forum Advance gave it rave reviews. From the opening evening program, led by Forum members Ferne Kuhn and Page Morahan, to the closing group hug, the women who attended continued to take the incredible opportunity the Advance offered to get to know each other in a more meaningful way.
All of the workshops, which were led by our own talented group of Forum members, were substantial and solid on their information and presentation. Again and again we heard, and realized for ourselves, what an intelligent and insightful group we are. And, how lucky we are to belong to an organization that supports us both individually and professionally.
The Forum Advance was chaired by Mikki Young and Marilyn Nyman along with an extremely talented and hard-working committee who deserve a great vote of thanks from The ForumÑMona Doyle, Joan Rochford, Milissa Tadeo and Page Morahan.
If you missed, plan to attend the next one, scheduled tentatively for Spring 2002!
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A Q&A With the New Forum Executive Director
For the first time in its history, The Forum of Executive Women has an executive director. Sharon Hardy brings to this part-time position nearly 20 years of experience at the University of Pennsylvania in its development department. In this interview, she talks about her responsibilities as Forum executive director and the goals of the organization.
Q: You are the first executive director in The ForumÕs history. How do you feel about your selection to this post?
A: I was really honored to have been chosen as executive director. The Forum is a very distinguished group of women who have achieved enormous accomplishments both individually and as a group. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with them.
Q: What are your responsibilities as part-time executive director?
A: I have several responsibilities. My main responsibility will be to help drive the mission and strategy of The Forum forward, working in conjunction with the board and The Forum president. In addition, I will serve as a visual presence and spokesperson for The Forum and will provide support for the various Forum committees.
Q: What are your goals as Forum executive director?
A: The board and I have worked together to develop a number of goals on which I will be focusing. One very important goal for me this year is to review and formalize the membership process. I am working on that in terms of new member recruitment, initiation and retention. A second goal for me is to serve as a liaison among the various committees to enhance the communication not only among the committees but with the board as well. As another goal, I have been asked to develop "protocols" for each committee's activities. For example, it would be helpful to have a template of each committee's responsibilities to be passed down from one committee chair to the next.
A fourth and crucial goal is to help to implement the new strategic plan. The new plan is moving forward, and my goal will be to help facilitate the implementation of the recommendations in the plan. As a fifth goal, I will work to develop sponsorships for Forum programs and events.
Q: How do you see the role of The Forum?
A: I would like to see The Forum become a more visible presence in the area. This group is a wonderful resource in the city, and I would like to enhance the collaboration between The Forum and the region's private, public and nonprofit sectors.
Q: What types of programs would you like to see The Forum sponsor?
A: I think it's important for me as executive director to first explore what Forum members want. In that respect, I'm trying to talk to as many members as possible and gather information. I want members to see me as someone they can call if they want to share their views, give feedback on a program, suggest a program topic, voice a concernÑwhatever is on their minds.
Q: Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a Philadelphia native and received my B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. I worked at Penn for 19 years in a variety of positions in the development office. Specifically, I served as the Administrative Director of The TrusteesÕ Council of Penn Women, a group of senior women alumnae of the university, and worked with this group for 10 years. During that time, the group raised $10 million for the university and helped to raise awareness for women's issues on campus.
I live in Bala Cynwyd with my husband and my two sons, ages 10 and 13. When I'm not cheering at my sons' sporting events, I enjoy exercising by swimming laps at the Y and walking on my treadmill.
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COLUMNS AND REPORTS
New Members
Gwen Borowsky
Executive Director
National Liberty Museum
321 Chestnut St., Phila., PA 19106
215-925-2800, x104
Karen Dougherty Buchholz
President
Philadelphia 2000
2301 Market St., Ste. 7-1
Phila., PA 19103
215-686-0350
Beryl Byles
Principal
Bridge Consulting Associates
43 Sawgrass Lane
Newtown Square, PA 19073
610-353-6545
Deborah Chiumento
Senior Vice President
Bank of America Private Bank
Two Radnor Corporate Center, Ste. 120
Radnor, PA 19087
610-902-6181
Claudia Dunnous
Senior Vice President
Hamburger Color Co.
555 E. Church Rd.
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610-279-6450
Linda Schock Gloner
Vice President
Human Resources, YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity
2000 Market St., Ste. 1202
Phila., PA 19103
215-963-3746
Anne Ilsemann
Partner, Arthur Andersen LLP
1601 Market St.
Phila., PA 19103
215-241-8405
Sonia Madison
President & CEO
Health Partners
833 Chestnut St., Ste. 900
Phila., PA 19107
215-991-4001
Sharmain Matlock-Turner
President/Executive Director
Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition
1207 Chestnut St., Ste. 700
Phila., PA 19107
215-851-1702
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Forum Events
Call The Forum office, 215-628-9944, for information on these programs.
May 31
"Women Entrepreneurs and Access to Capital"
(a joint venture with the Women's Investment Network)
Place: The Union League
Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
June 14
The Forum's Annual Meeting
Place: Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads
Time: 5:15 p.m., registration;
5:30 p.m., meeting
June 30
"What Should I Wear Today: Managing Your Impression in a Casual World"
Place: Pyramid Club
Time: 8:00 a.m. breakfast;
8:30 a.m, meeting
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Member News
Business News/Moves
GAIL BUBENICK, CEO, SIERRA Communications, designed and successfully completed the first phase of a benchmarked team program for a leadership team at Hewlett-Packard Consulting. She has also consulted with a local bank corporation on the vision and organizational formation of its e-startup.
PATRICIA COULTER has a new position as a Consultant with Salveson Stetson Group, responsible for new business development. Her number is 610-341-9020.
PAMELA DAVIS is Vice President in charge of Government Secured Lending for all of PNC Bank's five-state market. Previously, she was Vice President of SBA Lending at First Union National Bank. Her new telephone number is 215-585-7312.
MARJORIE DUGAN is now Deputy Secretary, Strategic Planning and Initiatives, City of Philadelphia.
RALF RUNDGREN GRAVES, Principal, Astrion, was retained as Program Development Consultant by the Global Chinese Business Initiative of the Wharton School.
VIVIAN GREY, Principal, Vivian Grey & Associate Marketing Communications, completed a project for Warner Lambert's Global Switches Division. Also, she was interviewed on WHYYÕs "Radio Times" program about children's books. Vivian currently teaches "Writing for the Children's Market" at the University of Pennsylvania.
FRANCINE FRIEDMAN GRIESING joined the law firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, focusing her practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, business counseling and governmental affairs. She is the former chair, Litigation Group, City of Philadelphia Law Department.
MARCIENE MATTLEMAN has taken the position of Director of Literacy Initiatives at Public/Private Ventures.
KYRA MCGRATH was named Vice President for Strategic Projects and General Counsel for WHYY. She has been with WHYY since 1998 handling special projects in the President's Office and serving as Assistant Secretary of the WHYY Board of Directors, a position she will continue to hold.
NANCY MOSES has resigned from her position as Executive Director of the Atwater Kent Museum. She can be reached at 215-923-8136.
FRAN PIERCE, Chairman/CEO, Data Systems Analysts, announced that her company was selected by Raytheon Company to provide messaging servers for installation in Brazil as part of the System for the Vigilance of the Amazon. Also, DSA was selected by Lotus Corp. as its Beacon Award winner for the Best e-Business Solution in the category of Supplier Relationship Management.
LINDA RESNICK, President, CEO Resources, tells us her firm has completed executive search assignments for the following firms: XYAN.com, VerticalNet, SupplyForce.com, Sarnoff Corp, Efacility.com, Dendrite International and Covad. Also, her firm has moved to 200 E. State St., Ste. 101, Media, PA 19063, 610-565-9767. Linda was also a featured presenter at the New Jersey Technology Council's "CEO as Recruiter" seminar in March. ELIZABETH SHEVLIN is now Special Counsel, Tax & Estates Group, Fox, Rothschild, O'Brien & Frankel. Also, she was elected to the board of Directors of Cliveden, a National Trust property.
VICKI SOLOT, President, Collaborations, announced she is closing her 21-year-old public relations firm. As a result of a successful past five years, during which Collaborations was twice named one of the region's fastest-growing companies, profits were contributed toward the start up of "Blue Sky," a nonprofit arts organization which Vicki plans to launch later this year. Also, Vicki reports that Collaborations won a PRSA Pepperpot Honorable Mention and received Communicator Awards in five different categories for the recycling spots produced for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
REP. CONSTANCE WILLIAMS introduced legislation in Harrisburg that would establish a WomenÕs Business Ownership Council. The council would lobby, conduct hearings, hold workshops, form partnerships with schools and develop mentoring programs that would lead to an increased interest and knowledge of business ownership, especially for women.
LYNN YEAKEL resigned from her federal position as Regional Director of the Department of Health and Human Services. She is the Democratic nominee for the 17th Senatorial District seat.
Appointments/Elections
ELIZABETH BENNETT, Bennett & Associates, was elected Executive Director of Collaborative Family Law Affiliates, a new organization committed to performing divorce outside of the court process with a comprehensive support of both legal, mental health and financial professionals.
FRANCINE CARB, President/CEO, Markitects, was named to the board of directors for Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia and to the board of advisors for Omnient Corp. Also, she has become a key stakeholder in a new business accelerator, Accelerate 2 Market.
TERRY GILLEN, Economic Development Consultant, was appointed to the board of the Visiting Nurses Association and was named director of the Philadelphia News Project. The PNP is an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trust and the Fels School of Government at the University of Pennsylvania to assist reporters who are covering the Republican National Convention, which will be held in Philadelphia this summer. The goal of the PNP is to provide stories and contact information about Philadelphia in a variety of areas: economic development, crime, education, the regional economy, etc. Members of the media who are looking for neutral information about substantive areas will use PNP briefing materials to write stories about Philadelphia and the suburbs.
TINA HANSEN-TURTON, Executive Director, Regional Nursing Centers Consortium, was named the new President of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Regional Opportunities.
BERNADINE MUNLEY, Partner, Rawle & Henderson, was appointed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge to the Delaware River Port Authority.
LEE VAN DE VELDE, Consultant, was re-elected for a second four-year term as President of the Board of The Reading Terminal Market. Also, she was elected to the board of the Arden Theatre Company.
Awards/Milestones
JULIET GOODFRIEND, Chairman, Strategic Marketing Corp., was named the 2000 Paradigm Award winner by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
HARRIET HANKIN, President, CGI Consulting Group, was selected as one of PennsylvaniaÕs 50 Best Women in Business for the year 2000 by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, in conjunction with the business journals of Pennsylvania. Also, her company has added NUI Corp. to its client roster.
BONNIE PLUNKETT, Managing Director, Alternative Capital Source LLC, received the Albright College Distinguished Alumna Award
MARY SCULLION, RSM, Executive Director, Project H.O.M.E., received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, presented by the Board of Trustees of LaSalle University.
JUDEE VON SELDENECK, CEO, Diversified Search, was selected by the Association of Executive Search Consultants, National Executive Search Organization, for the "Eleanor Raynolds Award for Excellence in Executive Search."
Speeches/Publications
MADELEINE WING ADLER, President, West Chester University, developed a concept for a women's summit focusing on mid-level career women and built a planning committee from within her institution. The result was the two-day summit, "Lifting As We Climb: Women Leading in the 21st Century," featuring several noted speakers, including journalist Linda Ellerbee, former Vermont governor Madeline Kunin, poet Judith Ortiz Cofer and former CoreStates CEO Rosemarie Greco.
MALINDA POWERS BERARDINO, Executive Vice President, Church Capital Management, was interviewed by The Wall Street Transcript about her views on the financial markets and her firm's outlook for the economy.
SHIRLEY BONNEM, Vice President, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, wrote a chapter entitled "The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: Creating Image and Identity for a Specialty Hospital" for the recently published textbook Defining Yourself in the Marketplace.
MARJORIE BRODY, President, Brody Communications, wrote an article entitled "Etiquette for the New Millennium," published in the March issue of Successful Meetings magazine. Excerpts from her series "21st Century Pocket Guides to Proper Business Protocol" were published in the newsletters Communications at Work and Getting Along.
REP. LITA INDZEL COHEN, along with the Haub School of Business at St. Joseph's University and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, sponsored a business breakfast forum to discuss e-business strategies.
SUZANNE FAIRLIE, President, ProSearch, spoke at the Pinnacle Society's Annual Conference in April and will be speaking at the National Association of Personnel Services Annual Conference in November. She will focus on counteroffer prevention.
PAMELA GODWIN, President/COO, GMAC Insurance Personal Lines Agency Division, spoke at the Conference on Diversity, sponsored by Sara Lee Corp.; The Entrepreneurial Institute's forum on corporate leadership; and Leadership Week, sponsored by Elon College in North Carolina.
GERI SWIFT, President, Women's Business Development Center, was part of a four-member panel for a Business Certification Seminar for the Berks County Chamber of Commerce. Also, she served on a panel on State and Federal Certification at a seminar sponsored by National Penn Bank.
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