GIGI STETLER HAS CLEARED MANY HURDLES ALONG THE WAY TO BUSINESS SUCCESS IN A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY

UNSTOPPABLE

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 2 -

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY26

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 3 -

PUBLISHER

EM Publishing Enterprises

PRESIDENT

Jeff Palmatier

DIRECTOR - MARKETING

Mark Cohen

PUBLICATION DESIGN

RC DIGITAL DESIGN

EDITOR/ART DIRECTOR

Richard Chudy

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

is a publication of Equality Magazine

Publishing Enterprises, Inc.

Views and opinions expressed

within the publication are not

necessarily those of the publisher.

The publisher reserves the right to

reject or edit any copy, advertising,

or editorial, The publisher is not

responsible for any unsolicited

materials.

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

For advertising, email:

sales@wib-i.com

For editorial, email:

editor@wib-i.com

EM Publishing Enterprises, Inc.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

13351 Riverside Dr.#514

Sherman Oaks ,CA 91423

Tel: 818-654-0870

http://www.wib-i.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE....ON THE COVERGigi Stetler is no stranger to adversity. She’s overcome obstacles, survived a near-fatal knife attack and took on the “old boys” establishment in a decidedly male-dominated business. Now, a tight and often unethical finance market threatens to wash out the road to success that Gigi’s paved for herself and her business. But don’t bet against this thoroughbred… bounding over barriers is just another day in the saddle for this equestrian loving, business-building dynamo with rock-solid determination.

PAGE 5EXECUTIVE NEWS• Theresa Torres named Director of Diversity at Verizon • Pamela Nicholson named President at Enterprise Rent a Car • Dr. Willarda V. Edwards installed as National Medical Association President • CEO Catherine Monsoon honored by International Franchise Association

PAGE 13OFF THE SHELFAs a small business owner in the murky waters of a bad economy, you may be scrambling for solutions on how to keep your company afloat. But author Robin Fisher Roffer says that letting the fear take over, and not being true to yourself and your company’s mission, can be a recipe for recession-related disaster.

PAGE 29CLEAN ENERGYWomen business owners understand the importance of clean energy and are committed to getting the country running on clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear, according to the national Women’s Survey on Energy & the Environment.

CLICK ON A PAGE NUMBER TO GO TO THAT STORY

CLICK ON A PAGE NUMBER TO GO TO THAT STORY/SECTION

PAGE 20

ClimbersWanted.To us, “diversity” meansmore than “race” or “gender.”

It means developing,manufacturing andmarketing life-enhancingmedical technologies inseveral therapeutic fields.

It means cultivating a work-force that spans a variety ofcultures around the globe.

And it means fostering thecareers of talented individuals,whatever their background oravenues of interest.

Take the next step in yourcareer. Visit us at:

C. R. Bard, Inc. is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

www.crbard.com/careers

TM

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 5 -

EXECUTIVE NEWS AND MOVES

Theresa Torres, Verizon

THERESA TORRES NAMED DIRECTOR FOR DIVERSITY AND EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AT VERIZONTheresa Torres has been named director of diversity and employee experience at Verizon. Her responsibilities include corporate policies and strategies that sustain an inclusive culture and employee experience.

Torres will also be responsible for developing the corporate diversity strategy and for undertaking employee and workplace research.

Prior to joining Verizon, Torres served as the director of diversity program management and the relationship manager for analysts and associates

within global markets and investment banking for Merrill Lynch. While there she focused on employee development and retention strategies for diverse management professionals. Previously, she held various positions at Lehman Brothers including vice president of global diversity recruiting.

Torres serves as the president of the New York Board for the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA). She holds a bachelors degree in Organizational Behavior from Concordia College.

PAMELA NICHOLSON NAMED PRESIDENT OF ENTERPRISE RENT A CAR: FOURTH PRESIDENT IN COMPANY’S 51-YEAR HISTORYEnterprise Rent-A-Car’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew C. Taylor announced that Pamela M. Nicholson, 48, has been named company president, making her only the fourth person to hold the office in Enterprise’s 51-year history. She succeeds Donald L. Ross, 64, who will continue as vice chairman of the company and its board of directors. Nicholson will also retain her role as Enterprise’s chief operating officer and as a member of the board of directors of Crawford Group, Enterprise’s parent company. Enterprise is a privately held company owned by the Taylor Family of St. Louis. It is a multi-national transportation company with annual revenues in excess of $12 billion, and nearly 75,000 employees.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 6 -

Nicholson will oversee all of Enterprise’s transportation businesses, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Fleet Management, Enterprise Car Sales, and Enterprise Commercial Truck Rental. Nicholson is only the second executive outside the Taylor family to serve as the company’s president, following founder Jack C. Taylor, his sons, Andy, and Ross. “Enterprise has a long tradition of developing our own managers and promoting from within,” said Andy Taylor. “Our family is fortunate to have someone with Pam Nicholson’s skills and experience to succeed Don Ross as the president of our company. Pam and Don have been members of our management team for 27 years and 43 years, respectively. Just as important, the two have worked together for more than 20 years, which will ensure a seamless transition.”

In addition to her work at Enterprise, Nicholson serves on the board of directors for Energizer Holdings, Inc. “I can see why Pam is such an effective leader at Enterprise,” said Ward M. Klein, Energizer’s chief executive officer. “She has a highly pragmatic and intelligent understanding of how to move a business forward. Her extensive operational expertise, global insights, and high character make her an excellent and valued member of our board.” Nicholson began her career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 1981 as a management trainee in St. Louis after graduating from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts degree. At the time, Enterprise was a small but growing regional rental car and auto leasing company with approximately 200 employees, 50 locations, 20,000 vehicles and less than $100 million in annual revenue. Within nine months she was promoted to assistant branch manager, and within a year accepted a position in the company’s recently opened and fast-growing Southern California group. Throughout the next 12 years, Nicholson was

Pamela Nicholson, President, Enterprise Rent-A-Car

“Enterprise has a long tradition of

developing our own managers and

promoting from within,” said Andy

Taylor. “Our family is fortunate

to have someone with Pam

Nicholson’s skills and experience

to succeed Don Ross as the

president of our company.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 7 -

promoted through the ranks to one of the top operating positions in Southern California – regional vice president. During that period, the Southern California group grew from 1,000 to more than 27,000 cars in its fleet, and today is the company’s largest operating group. In 1994, Nicholson returned to her hometown of St. Louis to become a corporate vice president at Enterprise’s worldwide headquarters, overseeing the efforts of 10 operating groups located throughout the United States. She was also instrumental in establishing the first national preferred provider rental agreements between Enterprise and many of the top auto manufacturers. In 1997, Nicholson was promoted to the top job with Enterprise’s New York group, the company’s second largest operating group. During her two years as New York’s general manager, the group enjoyed excellent fleet growth and saw its profitability more than double. She was promoted to senior vice president, North American operations in 1999 and executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2003. Outside of her Enterprise duties, Nicholson is involved in community causes including past service on the board of the United Way of Bergen County, New Jersey; and as a past member of the board of INROADS of St. Louis, an employment program for minority college students. She currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the Humane Society of Missouri. She is also a member of the board of trustees of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, a director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation and a generous supporter of a number of social causes in the St. Louis area, including the United Way.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 8 -

So is a great place to work.

That’s why we made a commitment to an inclusive

environment to help us continue to pioneer new ways

in which to improve and expand our vision. Valuing the

differences of employees, suppliers, and consumers has

made us a leader in the wine industry. It’s also - like 75

years of family winemaking - something worth celebrating.

“Gallo sees diversity as an opportunity to become a company that better reflects the world we live in. It positions us to meet the needs of today’s increasingly diverse marketplace.” – Joseph E. Gallo, CEO

Wine is a blend of vision, character, and style.

For more information about how we Embrace Diversityat E&J Gallo Winery, please visit us at www.gallo.com

ZPR-85868DIVERSITY AD A2horiz

So is a great place to work.

That’s why we made a commitment to

an inclusive environment to help us

continue to pioneer new ways in which

to improve and expand our vision.

Valuing the differences of employees,

suppliers, and consumers has made us a

leader in the wine industry. It’s also - like

75 years of family winemaking - something

worth celebrating.

“Gallo sees diversity as an opportunity to become a company that better reflects the world we live in. It positions us to meet the needs of today’s increasingly diverse marketplace.”

– Joseph E. Gallo, CEO

Wine is a blend of vision, character, and style.

For more information about how we Embrace Diversity atE&J Gallo Winery, please visit us at www.gallo.com

ZPR-85868DIVERSITY AD A2vert

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITYWe are the world’s largest ASME Authorized Inspection Agency. Although we are best known for our services as an AIA, we’ve leveraged experience gained over more than 136 years of operation to become an industry leader in a variety of engineering services fields.

Job opportunities are currently available at HSB Global Standards. Please visit our website for more information on current openings.

www.hsbglobalstandards.com

An Equal Opportunity Employer

UTEP ALUMNA TO BE INSTALLED AS NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTWillarda V. Edwards, M.D., an alumna of The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), will be installed as the 110th president of the National Medical Association (NMA) on Tuesday, July 28, during the NMA’s annual convention in Las Vegas, Nev.

Edwards, who practices internal medicine in Baltimore, Md., will serve a one-year term as president of the nation’s largest organization representing African-American physicians. The 1972 UTEP biology graduate says she will make health care equality the major focus of her presidency. The NMA has a variety of public-education initiatives aimed at creating

Dr. Willarda V. Edwards

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 9 -

awareness of and reducing disparities in health care among African-Americans and other minorities.

“A major focus will be getting minorities in the health care career pipeline, which will help improve the quality of care and ensure culturally competent care,” Edwards said.

African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans make up a quarter of the United States population, but these groups comprise only nine percent of practicing physicians.

Edwards said the NMA will work closely with the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s largest physician organization, on health equity issues. The organizations’ partnership will be all the stronger because the new president of the AMA, James J. Rohack, M.D., happens to be a good friend of Edwards and a fellow UTEP alumnus. Rohack, who was inducted as AMA president in June, graduated from UTEP in 1976. Edwards and Rohack have worked together on the Commission to End Health Care Disparities, created in 2004 by the AMA, NMA and National Hispanic Medical Association.

Edwards entered private practice in 1984, and since that time has established herself in many leadership roles involving African American and minority health issues. She served as the National Health Advocacy director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

from 2002-2004, and as president of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America from 2004-2009. In 2007, she received the Congressional Black Caucus Health Brain Trust Award in Journalism as a co-author of The Black Women’s Guide to Black Men’s Health. She is a managing partner in the private practice of Drs. Edwards and Stephens, Internal Medicine, in Baltimore, Md.

FASTSIGNS CEO RECEIVES TOP AWARD FROM INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATIONFASTSIGNS International, Inc. CEO Catherine Monson was honored by the International Franchise Association (IFA) as the Bonny LeVine Award recipient during its 49th annual convention in San Diego. Additionally, Monson was one of six new members named to the IFA’s Board of Directors.

The Bonny LeVine Award is bestowed upon a female franchisor or franchisee who has demonstrated ability in franchising through contribution to the growth of the business; contributions to her community through board positions, volunteer work and activities that promote the professional advancement of women; and her contributions as a mentor to women in franchising. The award was created in 1994 in memory of IFA member and Postal Instant Press co-founder Bonny LeVine, recognizing her outstanding accomplishments in franchising and serving as a role model for women in the franchising community.

Founded nearly 50 years ago, IFA is the oldest and largest organization that works to protect, enhance and promote franchising. Its membership includes more 1,250 franchise systems, 11,000-plus franchisees and more than 500 firms that supply goods and services to the industry. Monson says she feels so honored to receive the Bonny LeVine

“A major focus will be getting minorities

in the health care career pipeline, which

will help improve the quality of care

and ensure culturally competent care,”

Edwards said.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 10 -

award and have her name follow so many other prestigious female franchisees. “It is truly an honor to be recognized for my work in the franchise community. I enjoy what I do and hope that I have inspired and will continue to inspire women in business to believe that they can achieve anything they desire.”

Monson also hopes to bring some new ideas to the table as a member of the IFA’s Board of Directors. “Business is rapidly changing due in part to the economy, and as a member of the IFA Board of Directors, I take my role as a representative of the franchise community very seriously. I know that decisions I influence and make could impact franchisors and franchisees worldwide.”

Monson assumed the role of CEO of the worldwide sign and graphics franchise FASTSIGNS in January 2009, taking over for company co-founder and former CEO, Gary Salomon. Ranked among the world’s leading franchise companies, FASTSIGNS operates with a simple concept of making the sign and graphics process fast and simple for the customer, while delivering a valuable business need. Her experience in franchising began in 1980 with printing franchise Sir Speedy, where she launched a career in franchise sales. She rose through the ranks over the next 16

years from western regional operations manager to vice president of franchise development to chief marketing officer. When Franchise Services, Inc., parent company of Sir Speedy, acquired European printing franchisor MultiCopy, Monson directed operations. She later became president and COO of PIP Printing in 1999. Monson has served as a role model to hundreds of PIP, MultiCopy and Sir Speedy employees and franchisees and helped them become more successful. WIBI

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. CEO Catherine Monson receives the Bonnie Levine Award from the IFA.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 11 -

Giles & Ransome, Inc. is a full-line CaterpillarDealer including Caterpillar earthmovingequipment, compact construction equipment,engine power and rental services.

Giles & Ransome, Inc.2975 Galloway RoadBensalem, PA 19020www.ransome.com

215.245.2741We stand in support of equality for and advancement of all people based on their qualifications and actions alone without regard to color, gender, age, religion, national origin or disability.

JACOBS is creating the world of tomorrow as one of the largest providers of architecture, engineering, construction, and other professional technical services. Jacobs Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jacobs Engineering, is a worldwide leader in providing advanced engineering and technical services for government and industry.

jacobstechnology.com

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 12 -

Rehrig Pacific is a world-leading manufacturer of reusable

plastic pallets and crates for handling and transporting

commercial products, manufactured goods, produce, food

and beverage products, and more. We help thousands of

businesses move their products more efficiently through

the supply chain. An international company with licensees

worldwide, Rehrig Pacific offers an ever-expanding line

of transport packaging products, such as our new export

pallet, and logistical services for industry.

In addition, Rehrig Pacific also manufactures a full line of

roll-out carts and recycle bins for the curbside collection

of household waste and recyclables, and commercial

containers and litter bins for automated refuse and

recylables collection. Private haulers and municipalities

alike enjoy the many advantages of using Rehrig Pacific

collection containers and distribution services.

To learn more about us or to explore careers

with Rehrig Pacific, visit us online.

www.rehrigpacific.com

An Equal Oppprtunity Employer Committed to Diversity

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 13 -

OFF the SHELFRECOMMENDED READING FROM TOP-NOTCH AUTHORS

As a small business owner in the murky

waters of a bad economy, you may be

scrambling for solutions on how to keep

your company afloat. But author Robin

Fisher Roffer says that letting the fear

take over, and not being true to yourself

and your company’s mission, can be a

recipe for recession-related disaster.

How to Fearlessly Keep Your Small Business Sailing through the

Rough Seas of the Recession

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 14 -

If you own a small business, you’ve probably been losing a lot of sleep at night while you spend your days poring over budgets, hoping desperately for a new client to walk through your doors. Indeed, with the economy in trouble, businesses everywhere are feeling the crunch, but no one is more worried than small business owners. While fear may drive you to go into survival mode and compromise your values, author Robin Fisher Roffer says do that and you may be making a huge mistake that in the long run can hurt your business far worse than the recession.

“You can’t let yourself, or your business be paralyzed by fear,” says Robin Fisher Roffer, author of The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You. “In times like these it’s more important than ever to maintain your brand identity and focus on what makes your company stand out, what makes it great. You have to be what I call a ‘fearless fish out of water’—shining a light on those qualities that make your company different and more desirable than the other businesses in your industry. Playing up what makes you special could be the very thing that keeps you in business.”

While other companies are taking on any project that comes their way (whether it’s the right fit for them or not), Roffer says that now more than ever is when you should be staying true to your company’s brand by sticking to projects where you can excel.

“If you try too hard to work outside the boundaries of your talents, it will be reflected in the quality of your work,” she warns. “And in an economy when new business is already hard to come by, providing less than stellar results is a sure way to put the nail in the coffin.”

So, what should small business owners do at a time like this? Roffer says it’s time to refocus on your company’s core values, to remind yourself and your employees what it is that sets your company apart from all the rest, and most importantly, to be fearless.Read on for Roffer’s seven steps to being a fearless fish out of water in the small business world, and how they will help you survive and thrive in this economy:

Go fishing for the real you. It’s time to focus on what your business does better than your competition and put that out there to your clients and prospects. Maybe you’re a boutique ad agency that can create any kind of campaign, but your best work is in B2B advertising. Or maybe you own a sandwich shop where you’ve been sticking to the basics, but your true passion and talent is in creating specialty sandwiches that your customers love.

“You have to peel away all the layers that have made you a jack-of-all-trades and focus on the area that you are truly passionate about so you can excel,” explains Roffer. “That’s your vein of gold. Sure, ham and cheese on rye is a guaranteed sale, but your customers can get that at any sandwich shop. Get back to being creative. That’s where you can show your clients your value, and impressing your customers is how you can ensure you keep bringing in the revenue.”

Use your differences as a lure. In extraordinary economic times like these, the natural tendency is to just hunker down, do the work, cut back on expenses, and try to keep as many clients as possible. Newsflash! That’s exactly the kind of strategy that will hang you. Because if you’re not luring your old customers back and new customers in based on something they feel they can’t get anywhere else, your days may be numbered.

“Small business owners get so caught up in stressful economic times like this that they essentially just start going through the motions to keep their doors open,” says Roffer. “Unfortunately, often this means they start giving their customers the bare minimum. Just enough to satisfy their order but very little of what most likely attracted the customer to you to begin with. Now is the time for you to hone in on what has always made your business great. Is it exceptional customer service, your creative flair, or organizational skills? Time spent refocusing your efforts is not time wasted. You have to prove to your clients why they should go with you over your competition and once again lure them in based on what makes you special.” Find a few fish like you. While your first instinct may be to fly under the radar right now, Roffer says that now is the time to build relationships with your clients so that you can anchor yourself in these rough seas. Rest assured that you aren’t the only small business owner worried about what

“In times like these it’s

more important than ever to

maintain your brand identity

and focus on what makes your

company stand out, what makes it

great. You have to be what I call

a ‘ fearless fish out of water’…

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 16 -

will become of your company in these tough times. Your clients are likely feeling just as nervous and unsure as you. Invest in some serious face time to build your client relationships. Doing so will help ease your fears and theirs.

“Now is the time to meet with your clients face to face,” asserts Roffer. “Find out what attracted them to you and ask what you can do to be of further service to them. Brainstorm with them. Bounce revenue-boosting ideas off of each other. Show them that you want to be more than a vendor or a provider of a certain service. Partner with them now and not only will you make it through the recession, but you’ll have an even stronger business when the seas have calmed.”

Swim in their ocean your way. Every time you pitch your company to a new prospect, you are a fish out of water. When you’ve won them over and you finally get inside their organization, it’s important to learn how to be part of their culture without getting lost in it. Remember that your clients have hired you because you bring an outside perspective, and you have talents and skills that don’t already exist within their organization. It’s okay to tailor your ideas to fit their particular needs or style; just make sure you hold onto the core of what makes you you.

“I once was hired by an organization that threatened my integrity,” Roffer says. “Just from the disrespectful behavior that was commonplace among the employees, I knew right away I would have trouble fitting in. What I thought would be a great fit turned out not to be, and I concluded that no amount of money was worth my soul and I made the decision to walk away, despite the loss in revenue. Look for people with values that resonate with yours. If you don’t, at the end of this recession, you may not

recognize yourself or your own company, and that can have damaging effects on your business long after the economic crisis is over.”

Put yourself out on the line. Businesses that shine a light on what’s different about them are perfectly positioned to makea difference. You may be paralyzed by fear, cutting the budget on anything that’s not payroll and necessary expenses, but Roffer says you should instead be finding ways to give back. There may come a time when your own company is in need of a little help, and people will be more willing to return the favor if they’ve seen your willingness to help others in the past.

“Getting behind a cause is good for business and makes you look like a hero,” says Roffer. “Now is the time to step up and volunteer, join a board, or give what you can to a local nonprofit. When clients see your philanthropic nature, they will trust you more. For example, if customers know that your company is environmentally conscious, it can give you a great competitive edge. And even if giving back doesn’t mean you’ll see an immediate profit increase, it can help you to re-identify what you are passionate about in life, and that passion will bleed over into your work.”

Evolve by casting a wide net. As any business owner knows, each year can be vastly different from the one before it, and 2009 is already a whole new world compared to 2008. We have a constantly changing economy and a new president, and our clients will certainly have different needs this year from last. In tough times many business owners hold strong to doing what has always worked for them in the past, but Roffer says refusing to change with the times can have disastrous effects on your business’s success.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 17 -

“Operating with a business-as-usual mentality will not allow you to distinguish your business,” advises Roffer. “You have to continue reinventing yourself, changing with the times and with your clients. But remember, don’t let go of who you are as a company while updating your style, your website, your advertising, and the way you think about things. The key is staying true to the essence of who you are, and then recasting your image to feel brand new. Your clients, both existing and new, will appreciate the break from the business-as-usual approach. Working with you will be a refreshing change in a stifling business world, and that will garner success for you this year.”

Reel in your unique power. In these tough times, it is only natural that you will experience moments of fear and anxiety when thinking about the future and your business’s fate. However, you know that you and your business are valuable, or you wouldn’t have started it in the first place. And nothing, not even a bad economy, can change that. Roffer says that the fearless among us overcome these doubts by practicing their ABCs—action, belief, and courage—and doing so will help to free you from the fear and allow you to move forward and be successful.

“It’s time to stop wringing your hands and start using them to improve your business,” says Roffer. “The story that you tell about your company is what others will believe, so make sure it’s a story of strength and success. If you believe that now is a time for your company to start a new division, have the courage to do it, despite what others may say. Maybe you have an idea for a new product or some thoughts on unconventional ways to approach customer service. Now’s the time to believe in your instincts and have the commitment to follow through. Have the courage

to use your unique power to make them believe that you are indispensable and that is exactly what you will be!” “The biggest problem is that most small business owners are failing to see the big picture right now,” Roffer concludes. “And when your livelihood and the livelihood of your employees is dependent on your ability to be successful in a tough economy, I can’t say that I blame them. The trick is to quit thinking about what’s going on right now. And instead think back to who you were when your business first started, and what kind of business you want to have on the other side of this recession. If you hold on to who that person is, and who your business truly is, you’ll sail through this time and into an even brighter future.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Robin Fisher Roffer (Los Angeles and New York) is CEO of Big Fish Marketing, one of the entertainment industry’s preeminent brand marketing and digital advertising agencies. She has provided the rocket fuel that has ignited the launch pad of dozens of brands all over the world, developing brand-building marketing plans and promotional campaigns for top media companies like Sony, Time-Warner, and Twentieth Century Fox.

Roffer has written strategic plans and executed marketing tactics for a prestigious client list that includes ABC, A&E, AMC, Bloomberg, Bravo, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, History, Lifetime, MTV, Oxygen, and Turner Networks. Today, her client roster includes over 25 television networks, a global cosmetics company, and several insurance and investment firms.

A dynamic and engaging speaker, Roffer has given

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 18 -

keynote presentations to some of the nation’s biggest companies and organizations, including AOL, Mattel, Verizon, Wharton School of Business, and many more. In addition to her work with Big Fish Marketing, she serves as a strategic branding consultant for a variety of corporations.

Drawing on her experience in creating some of the world’s leading entertainment brands, Roffer penned her first book, MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF: Eight Steps Every Woman Needs to Create a Personal Brand Strategy for Success. Her latest book, THE FEARLESS FISH OUT OF WATER: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You, hit stores in February 2009. It shows professionals how to stay connected and relevant at work while maintaining a unique identity, how to fit in without blending in, and how to transform exclusion into high impact.

Roffer’s core belief is that entertainment should be leveraged for a greater good. She has received accolades for developing community outreach programs like Lifetime’s “Women Rock,” a concert event designed to raise awareness for breast cancer issues; CNN’s “Your Choice Your Voice” high school-based election promotion; FSN’s “Reading All-Stars” literacy campaign; The History Channel’s “Save Our History” initiative, which raised money and awareness for the World War II Memorial; and Comedy Central’s “Comedy RX,” a hospital-based program promoting the healing powers of laughter. ABOUT THE BOOK:The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You is available at bookstores nationwide, from major online booksellers. For more information, please visit www.robinfisherroffer.com. WIBI

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 19 -

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 20 -

Gigi Stetler is no stranger to adversity. She’s overcome obstacles, survived a near-fatal knife attack and took on the “old boys” establishment in a decidedly male-dominated business. Now, a tight and often unethical finance market threatens to wash out the road to success that Gigi’s paved for herself and her business. But don’t bet against this thoroughbred… bounding over barriers is just another day in the saddle for this equestrian loving, business building dynamo with rock-solid determination.

By Richard Chudy

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 21 -

Most of our cover stories deal with leaders of Fortune 500 companies. CEO’s who run multi-billion dollar

enterprises with thousands of employees and dozens of subsidiaries have graced the cover of this publication over the years. Many have served as inspiration to our readers urging them to reach for the stars while ignoring societal or self-imposed limitations. This issue is a little different. Our cover story still echoes the same calls to action… to do more, to achieve loftier goals, to cast off the anchor lines that keep women tied to the dock while men cruise the sea of big business catching big fish. Yet, this story is still different. These days it’s not uncommon to hear about a kid from a poor family who makes it big, nor is it uncommon to read about a violent attack on an unsuspecting victim at the hands of an inhuman criminal. The same goes for stories about how those less likely to succeed due to the realities of gender, economic or racial bias can often rise above such petty yet powerful obstacles to achieve more than their “better-equipped” counterparts. What is uncommon is to come across an individual who fits all of those embattled descriptions yet managed to overcome, and in many cases, overachieve. Someone like that is well worth reading about. Meet Gigi Stetler. Stetler is the owner and CEO of RV Sales of Broward County in sunny southern Florida about midway between the trendy nightclubs and hotels of Miami and famous South Beach and the moneyed neighborhoods of Palm Beach. With its high percentage of retirees and personal

wealth, south Florida was a good location for an RV business and over the course of twenty some years, Stetler steered the business down some bumpy roads to become one of the most successful RV dealers in the United States. While it may sound like so many other “success” stories out there, how Stetler came to be at the helm and what she went through along the way separates her story from any other I’ve covered.

Early on, when just a young girl from a poor family, Gigi discovered she had a passion for four-legged creatures, namely horses, and not just any horses… jumpers… equestrianism at it’s highest. While not exactly a realistic hobby for a young girl from a less than wealthy family, she was not deterred. Instead, she found a way into the high priced world of equestrian sports by taking a job doing the “dirty” work… cleaning out stables, hauling feed and doing what she described as “the jobs that nobody else wanted to do just to be around the horses.” “I believe that laid the foundation of my work ethic and the reason I am successful as a businesswoman” says Stetler. “It taught me that nothing comes easy and you have to work to get what you want in life.”

Perhaps it was that early introduction to hard work that gave Stetler the strength to deal with what was the harshest obstacle life would hand her. “Prior to getting into the RV business I was working in hotel and property management and was renovating a run-down apartment building” Stetler relays in her book, ‘Unstoppable.’ “I made a deal with a guy who was living in the boiler room to let him live in an apartment in exchange for painting. One day he went a little

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 22 -

crazy and started throwing beer bottles from the roof. I called 911, but he burst in and stabbed me 21 times and tried to strangle me with an air conditioner cord while I was on the line with the police. I fought back and finally played dead, doing whatever I had to do to stay alive until the police got there”

For most of us, surviving an ordeal of that magnitude would be cause to retreat from society, certainly cause to pull back from people and the risk’s involved with putting one’s self “out there” – whether it be a business situation or simple everyday life. Not Stetler. Surviving the attack seemed to galvanize her will to succeed and her passion for living life to it’s fullest. Stetler was in her early twenties when she met the man who would introduce her to the RV

business and take a role as mentor to the young woman eager to learn and earn. “I came into this career completely by accident. My mentor, Jerry, was a man who had been involved with my mother and was a father figure to me for many years. He had purchased an investment property and it came with an inventory of mobile homes. I was just 23 years old, but I could see that the man running the lot was lying to customers and not delivering what he promised. I told Jerry about it and the lot just became my problem to deal with after he kicked the guy out.” Over the course of several years, Stetler learned the business and ran the show all while drawing a paltry $500 a week in salary for long, long hours and high pressure to turn profits from a business that was $400,000 in debt with lots of unhappy customers. Her perseverance – coupled

“It is never easy to be the only woman in a male-dominated industry, and I was not taken seriously as a cute and bubbly girl among the cigar-smoking fat cats of the RV industry.”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 23 -

with her willingness to deal face-to-face with disgruntled clientele and seek out resolutions to the issues that satisfied the customers while still making business sense – laid the groundwork for her future success. “I just started doing what I could do on my own, making repairs for existing customers. Once I had gotten to know several of them, I threw a party and offered each of them a $500 referral bonus for any new business they sent me, and from there things just boomed. It turned into a real business.” But disgruntled customers and red ink weren’t the only hazards on the road to success for Stetler and RV Sales of Broward County. Her mentor was taking out money faster than Gigi could bring it in. “We were doing a lot of business, but I was never paid more than $500 a week plus a small commission on sales. I never even earned a Christmas bonus. When Jerry started complaining that there was no money in the bank, I didn’t understand it. Our overhead wasn’t very high and we owned the property, so I didn’t know where the money was going. I didn’t know that the entire time, he had been drawing a $5,000 a week salary for himself.” “For the first 11 years in the business, I worked 14-hour days, seven days a week, everyday except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. My philosophy when I was young was ‘Work to learn’ not ‘Work to earn.” Stetler goes on to say, “I had worked for so little, always believing that Jerry and I were partners and that I was working hard for a business that would be mine in the end. The story of his

Stetler’s passion for horses started when she was just a little girl and continues to be an important part of her business and social life.

(Photo courtesy of Equi-Sports International)

betrayal is long and involved, but the bottom line is that he decided to sell the property and cut me out, despite a long-standing verbal agreement that if and when he was ready to get out he would sell to me. He had drained the business of assets and it was encumbered by debt.” If not for the goodwill Stetler had built up by dealing directly with unhappy customers, the story may very well have ended then and there. However, the very clients that had been turned off by the previous management had now become allies of Stetler’s bringing in new clients by way of referral. “The goodwill I had built in the community saved me. I went right across the street and made a deal for a new lot.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 24 -

The employees came with me and the vendors kept supplying me. I covered payroll using my credit cards. I paid off every single one of Jerry’s creditors even though I had no legal obligation to do so. So there I was working for free again for those first few years, but we made it and I have since bought out two other dealerships.” Enter the “old-boys” club and further obstacles meant to derail her plans for success. “It is never easy to be the only woman in a male-dominated industry, and I was not taken seriously as a cute and bubbly girl among the cigar-smoking fat cats of the RV industry. At the first dealer meeting, they said, ‘you need to go home and bake cookies, little girl.’ The next month, they held their meeting an hour before the official time so that I would be excluded. They tricked me three months in a row.” Such behavior was par for the course, but once again, Stetler’s “never give up” attitude came through bolstering her ambitions.

“I didn’t care that I wasn’t accepted, because I was there to make money. So I started getting more aggressive and undercutting everyone’s price. They had a complete monopoly—they were all carrying the same product at the same prices, so there was no negotiating. I cut prices in half and was giving customers better value and better service, and then they started paying attention to me.” Stetler went on to post $18.2 million in sales in 2007, a tangible testament to the benefits of hard work and perseverance. With financial success came the ability to further pursue equestrian competition, albeit with a focus on growing the business. “These days, business

always comes first. I provide housing for all the equestrian competitors, which allows me to have an excuse to go to the horse shows. Often while I have my game face on and am getting ready to compete, a customer will start inquiring about a product or be in need of a repair. I always accommodate them first and remember if it weren’t for the customer, I wouldn’t be where I am today. The horse show customers do business with me because I’m one of them.” The simplicity of her approach stands in the face of many a high-dollar marketing campaign. Bringing high-dollar RV’s into the world of equestrianism created the opportunity to match those products with those that could afford to purchase them… without the hefty bill associated with traditional marketing efforts. Charity and community play a big role in Stetler’s life as well. Since the days she could afford to help, she has. One example of her philanthropy includes donating dozens of emergency trailers to victims displaced by hurricanes Andrew and Katrina. Another recent act of benevolence was the donation of an RV complete with fuel and insurance so that the group, Driving for Donors, could mount a national campaign traveling throughout the U.S. in search of bone marrow donors, the shortage of whom are at record highs. When asked about her motivation to do such things, Stetler responds, “I believe in ‘pay it forward.’” “I also believe if you do good things for people, they will do good things for you. We’ve been able to help so many people in the past, and I want you to know that came from the heart. The greatest pleasure I get is being able to help someone else and make a difference in his or her life.”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 25 -

One might think that Stetler has seen more than her fair share of adversity and should, at this point of the game, have clear skies and smooth sailing. Yet, along comes another set of challenges and another set of battles to wage. Two major players have entered the business environment and they are a weak economy in the midst of a recession and a tight credit market with unfair practices that place far too much strain on the sagging RV industry. I asked Gigi what she sees in the cards for RV Sales of Broward County and here’s what she had to say. “Since the credit market is not opening up any time soon, and the cost of carrying any

new inventory is out of the question because financing is almost impossible, combined with the uncertainty of the stability of certain RV manufacturers, we have been concentrating heavily on the consignment market, used units and rentals. A lot of my customers were struggling to make their monthly payments on RVs they owned, so I put them in a rental which is a much more affordable option and easier for them to make their monthly payments. Also, it’s free inventory for RV Sales of Broward. A known fact is that it is 78% cheaper to travel in an RV compared to flying, renting a car and staying in a hotel. So that has driven our rental market to the sky.”

In a response to tough market conditions, Stetler took RV Sales of Broward County in a new direction focusing on the rental and consigment sales end of the business. Her ability to accept change and adapt accordingly is a major factor in her success.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 26 -

A willingness to change and the foresight to see what changes can be made to fit current market characteristics has kept the Broward boat afloat and it promises to continue to do so. However, there is another battle that Stetler is engaged in and it places her squarely in a “David and Goliath” adaptation with Gigi in the role of David and the powers of the U.S. banking and finance systems playing the larger than life Goliath. The basics of the battle are as follows. Let’s say you’re the owner of an RV dealership and you need more new units for display and sale on your lot. You contract with the manufacturers of those units and order a dozen or so $150,000 and up units. You arrange financing to cover the cost of those units while they remain on your lot waiting for the right buyer. Everyday you have those units on your lot, you’re paying interest but you’re okay with that… you’ll get them sold quickly, after all, it is your business and you’re good at it, right? Well, partially right. Problem is that you ordered the units on the first of the

month and they didn’t arrive until three weeks later. When they finally did arrive, they didn’t all work. Parts were missing, components failed and many units arrived damaged. Before you can put them out for sale, they need to be fixed and that’s where the problems come crashing down

on the financial statements. You see, the day you order the units is the day the financial clock starts ticking and the interest accrues. Even though the units don’t arrive the day you order them, the interest accrues. Even though the units sit in your service department waiting on parts to fix what was wrong straight from the manufacturer, the interest accrues. Even though it could be weeks or months before the units are in actual saleable condition, the interest has

accrued since that phone call ordering the units was made. And it’s not nickels and dimes, it’s $50,000, $60,000 even $100’s of thousands of dollars down the drain, something no RV dealer (or any other small business for that matter) can absorb in today’s economy.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 27 -

Stetler is leading the battle to right the wrongs in the relationship between dealer and the finance company. “I cannot disclose all the details of the case, but we are in Federal court with one lender and AAA arbitration with another. The case has generated national attention since the first article was written about it months ago” Stetler states. “I have received more than 400 e-mails and hundreds of calls from supporters and other dealers who are in the same boat. Since filing my case, I have been pretty much black listed from doing any financial business in the RV industry because all the manufacturers and banks are sticking together. None of the allegations against the lenders have been denied; it’s just a question of the legality of it. These lenders have made millions of dollars by charging interest on products months before they were even delivered.” The bottom line is that Stetler is not going away and is certainly not afraid of making some noise aimed at righting the wrongs.

In the midst of the battle, Stetler still finds the time to reach out and engage other small business owners. This past April, she ran a seminar aimed at assisting business owners maintain their businesses during the current recession. When asked what advice she has for those who may be faced with the possibility of closing their doors, Stetler had this to say. “Companies don’t shut their doors, people shut their own doors. I hear people tell me they have no customers and no one comes into their stores anymore. I say go get them… don’t wait for them to come. The recession has hurt us all, but people still need many of the same goods and

services as before the recession. You have to get the customers to your store. You may have to be a little creative, be willing to adjust pricing if possible, but you can’t just sit back, you must bring them back to your store. Also, don’t be afraid to explore other avenues. Dig deep down and find that entrepreneurial spirit and go in another direction. For me, I launched my own line of custom-made bedding sheets, focused on giving motivational speeches to different groups and organizations and wrote my first book “Unstoppable.” The saying ‘turning lemons into lemonade’ is really appropriate here.”

It’s been nearly twenty years since Stephen R. Covey penned his now famous book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” In the book, Covey talks about those seven habits as being critical in finding one’s “true north” – principles that form a solid character. I asked Gigi about her seven habits and while I’m not sure that they qualify as habits, I will say that they are rules to live by, or at very least, solid advice backed up by solid actions and results. Here’s what Gigi had to say:

1) Never give up.2) Always get back on the horse.3) Always bet on yourself.4) Never take your eye off the goal.5) Always think of yourself as “Unstoppable.”6) Re-negotiate life.7) Remember that failure is only a stepping-

stone to success.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that Gigi ever had to look for her true north… I believe she’s had her compass in hand from the very beginning. WIBI

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 28 -

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 29 -

WOMENAND CLEAN ENERGY

New Women’s Survey Finds Business Owners Plugged in and Turned on about Clean Energy

Women business owners understand the importance of clean energy and are committed to getting the country running on clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear, according to the national Women’s Survey on Energy & the Environment, the first in-depth survey of its kind commissioned by Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) in collaboration with the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE). The survey of 455 women business owners also shows they have already made their businesses more environmentally responsible. LEADERS IN ENERGY CONSERVATIONAccording to the survey, 77 percent have reduced electricity use at their businesses, 98 percent have

done the same at home, and nearly eight in 10 (79 percent) have taken steps to make their businesses more environmentally friendly. “We moved our company to a four-day work week, which reduces energy consumption at our facility and reduces travel-related consumption by our employees,” said one business owner. Another survey participant reported, “We try to conserve by controlling building temperatures, lighting, and investing in energy-efficient manufacturing equipment.” Another said, “We use daylight from windows and less from electrical lighting.”

Barbara Kasoff, President of WIPP, a national bipartisan organization that advocates on behalf

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 30 -

of women and minorities in business, noted, “Many women business owners have taken significant steps to conserve energy, and they understand the urgent need to move the country toward clean energy. In order to grow and develop their businesses to the next level, it is imperative that they have an in-depth understanding of the key energy issues and policydecisions we are facing today.” STRONG SUPPORTERS OF CLEAN ENERGY ─ WIND, SOLAR AND NUCLEAR• Women who own businesses strongly support clean energy sources.

- 89 percent think solar energy should play a very or somewhat important role in addressing our country’s electricity needs.- 86 percent think the same about wind energy.- 71 percent think the same about nuclear energy.- 54 percent see cleaner energy as the most important energy policy goal.- 87 percent support federal tax incentives for companies to become more energy efficient- 63 percent believe global warming is one of the most serious problems facing the world

OPINION AND KNOWLEDGE LEADERS ON ELECTRICITY, ENERGYIn addition to being more supportive of clean energy than women overall, women business owners emerge as opinion leaders on energy and electricity and have more information than women who do not own businesses, the survey found, when compared to results of a nationally representative sample of 801 women 18 or older. For example, 41 percent of women business owners are aware that coal is our country’s largest energy source, compared with only 12 percent of women overall.

Women business owners are also more knowledgeable about the benefits of nuclear energy:Only 33 percent mistakenly believe nuclear energy releases a lot or some air pollution (compared with 54 percent of women overall), and only 18 percent mistakenly believe nuclear power is a big or somewhat of a cause of global warming (compared with 54 percent of women overall). In reality, nuclear energy does not release air pollution or cause global warming.

0 20 40 60 80 100

0

10

20

30

40

50

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 31 -

EMISSION-FREE ENERGY SOURCESRenewable energy sources such as hydroelectric, wind, solar, and geothermal produce virtually no emissions. Nuclear energy also produces no GHGs in the production of electricity because nothing is burned.

Among renewable energy sources that generate electricity, hydropower accounted for 6 percent of the nation’s electric power in 2008. Other non-hydro renewables (biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind) accounted for approximately 3 percent of total electricity generated. Nuclear energy generated 20 percent of our nation’s electricity. Of these emission-free sources, currently only hydropower and nuclear operate around the clock – 24/7 – to generate dependable power to consistently meet demand.

HYDROELECTRICHydroelectric power uses the kinetic energy of moving water to make electricity. The winds and the sun’s heat cause water to evaporate. When this water vapor turns into rain or snow and flows downhill into rivers and streams, its energy can be captured using hydropower.

There are several types of hydropower facilities; some use dams and some do not. They range in size from small systems for a home or village to large projects producing electricity for utilities. Turbines and generators convert the energy into electricity, which is then fed into the electrical grid to be used in homes, businesses, and by industry.Over one-half of the total U.S. hydroelectric capacity for electricity generation is concentrated in three

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 32 -

0 20 40 60 80 100

0

10

20

30

40

50

states (Washington, California and Oregon), and Washington is the location of the nation’s largest hydroelectric facility – the Grand Coulee Dam.

Conventional hydroelectric power is unlikely to enjoy rapid growth under current expectations, due to the lack of many additional large sites for hydroelectric facilities.

WINDWind power produces virtually no emissions. Wind energy is really a converted form of solar energy, created when the sun heats the earth’s surface and the heat drives the winds. The wind produces energy that is captured by wind turbines. As long as the sun shines, the wind will blow.

Air in motion has kinetic energy. A wind energy system transforms the wind’s kinetic energy into electrical energy that can be used. A wind turbine can harness the wind’s energy; a generator then converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy for distribution and practical use. Wind electric turbines generate electricity for homes and

businesses and for sale to utilities.

The most economical application of wind electric turbines is in groups of large machines called“wind power plants” or “wind farms.” Wind machines generated electricity in 28 states in 2008; the top five states with the most windpower production are Texas, Iowa, California, Minnesota, and Washington. According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind energy could supply about 20 percent of the nation’s electricity.

SOLARSolar energy comes from the sun’s rays – solar radiation – that reach the earth. Solar energy isconvertible into other energy forms, such as electricity and thermal (heat) energy. Solar powerconverts the sun’s energy into a pollution-free source of heat, lighting, and electricity.

Solar energy can be converted to electricity in two ways: Photovoltaic (PV) devices or “solar cells” change sunlight directly into electric power. PV systems are used to power watches, calculators,

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 33 -

ATM machines, and lighted road signs. Solar thermal energy is often used to heat swimming pools, heating water used in homes, and space heating of buildings.Around the U.S., available sunlight varies considerably as a result of differences in cloud coverand latitude, and also varies with the seasons These variations must be taken into consideration when planning solar collection facilities. Solar power currently provides less than 1 percent of U.S. energy needs, but this percentage is expected to increase with the development of new and more efficient solar technologies.

GEOTHERMALNot all emission-free energy sources come from the sun. Geothermal energy taps the Earth’s internal heat for many uses, including electric power production and the heating and cooling of buildings. Geothermal power plants use hydrothermal resources, which have two common ingredients: water (hydro) and heat (thermal). The Earth’s heat can be drawn from several sources: hot water or steam reservoirs accessed by deep drilling, geothermal reservoirs located near the earth’s surface (mostly located in western states, Alaska, and Hawaii), and the shallowground near the Earth’s surface that maintains a relatively constant temperature of 50°-60° F.

The U.S. generates more geothermal electricity than any other country, but the amount of electricity it produces is less than one-half of a percent of electricity produced in the U.S. States such as California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Utah have geothermal power plants, and other plants are in various stages of development in several other states.

BIOMASSSunlight causes plants to grow. Biomass uses

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 34 -

organic matter – wood or plants – called biomass to generate heat and electricity and produce transportation fuel. Biomass energy, or “bioenergy,” recycles organic leftovers from forestry and agriculture – corn stalks and leaves, rice husks, wood waste, willow, pressed sugar cane, switchgrass – as fuel to produce electricity and heat. It can be fermented to produce fuels – ethanol, for example – for cars and trucks, it can create methane gas to power turbines, and it can be heated or “gasified” to break down into a clean-burning gas to make a range of products from diesel to gasoline to chemicals.Biomass helps reduce toxic air-borne pollutants and decrease our dependency on foreign oil.

According to the American Lung Association’s report, Agenda for Clean Air: Protect the Air We Breathe, clean air remains one of the nation’s major environmental and public-health challenges. “Climate, energy, and clean air are inexorably linked. Solutions that lead to cleaner air must be included in any approach to cleaner, more efficient energy use and reductions in global warming,” the report states.

0 20 40 60 80 100

0

10

20

30

40

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0

20

40

60

80

100

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 35 -

SURVEY METHODOLOGYGreenberg Quinlan Rosner, the international public-opinion research and consulting firm, conducted a national telephone survey of 801 women 18 years or older, and a national web survey of 455 women business owners. The surveys were conducted

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0

20

40

60

80

100

between May 14 and 18, 2009. The margin of error for women 18 years and older is plus or minus 3.5 percent. The survey was commissioned by Women Impacting Public Policy in collaboration with Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment, and was underwritten through an educational grant by Entergy Nuclear. RESOURCES FOR WOMENWomen can learn more about how electricity impacts their world and their planet by downloading a brochure, Women and Clean Power: Electricity Matters, at www.wipp.org.

ABOUT WIPPWomen Impacting Public Policy is a non-profit national bipartisan group with more than half-a-million members. WIPP is the collective voice in Washington, DC, for 48 national women and small business organizations. WIPP advocates for and on behalf of women and minorities in business in the legislative processes of our nation, creating economic opportunities and building bridges and alliances to other small business organizations. WIPP’s policy agenda, the Economic Blueprint, the Women Business Owners’ Platform for Growth, is found on the WIPP Web site. Visit www.wipp.org.

ABOUT WCEEThe Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment is a non-partisan policy-neutralorganization that focuses on women, energy, and the environment. WCEE’s mission is to provide consistently high-quality, non-partisan and policy-neutral forums for dialogue on cutting edge energy and environmental issues, and to foster the personal and professional growth and leadership abilities of its members. Visit www.wcee.org.

“Many women business owners have taken significant steps to conserve energy, and

they understand the urgent need to move the country toward clean energy. In order to grow and develop their businesses to the next level,

it is imperative that they have an in-depth understanding of the key energy issues and

policy decisions we are facing today.”Barbara Kasoff, President of WIPP

WIBI

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

- 36 -

Work Here. Fly Anywhere.www.skywest.com/careers

the journey begins here