September 2006 Newsletter

You can download the full version in PDF: nawbonm-news-2006-09.pdf (PDF; 122K)

The President’s Corner – Sandy Cody
September 20th Program – Diabetes: The New Epidemic
NAWBO is Growing – NM to Have a Second Chapter
Welcome New Members
Platinum Profile – Sandy Cody
Update on National Web Site Upgrade & Chapter Directory
NAWBO Satellite Breakfast Meetings
Candidate Debate-Semptember 22nd
Renewing NAWBO-NM Members
Seeking Speaker Gifts
Habitat for Humanity – Women’s Build Update
Women Entrepreneurs Presents – “Letting the IRS Help You”

The President’s Corner – Sandy Cody

Now that Labor Day is over, the children are back in school and maybe we actually got a vacation this summer, many of us women business owners are heading into a major push in our businesses. NAWBO is no different; there are countless exciting opportunities for our chapter and ultimately for our members.

In keeping with the year’s theme “the Magic of Making a Difference” we:

• Are facilitating the formation of a chapter in Las Cruces
• Conducting quarterly training seminars – the first being October 24, 06
• Finalizing the NNM-NAWBO Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit which will allow us to accept charitable donations for the benefit of women owned businesses
• Playing an active role in the continued restructuring of NAWBO at the National level
• Enhancing our web site to be more user friendly and providing an on-line local directory of members
• Developing opportunities, other than the monthly meetings, for our members to network, to be involved and to have a voice
• Building relationship with other organizations that will ~1) bring other occasions for networking, 2) build the awareness that women owned businesses are a force to be reckoned with and 3) to participate in the economic and political strategies of NM
• New MasterMind Groups for larger businesses, international businesses and other special interest groups and much more.

With all of this going on there is no reason why any of us should be concerned about receiving valuable benefits of our membership dues, here are some ways:

• Join a committee, the more members per committee, the less work for the few (did you know that some of committee directors and members put in 15 + hours a week just to serve us and meet our needs; a few more hands would reduce their NAWBO time commitment and allow you show off your skills and your business)
• Variety of meetings to select from in case the 3rd Wednesday of the month does not work for you
• Learn new or enhance your business skills before you need them in your business
• Develop new friendships
• Create business alliances as a result of working with someone on a committee

Next time you are networking and you come across a board member, committee member or a member of a Mastermind Group, ask they why they are involved, how it has helped them professionally, personally and in their business, then watch them get excited when they answer your inquiry. Take time to thank them for the volunteer hours they spend bringing you NNM-NAWBO.

Sandy Cody
President, NAWBO-NNM 2006-2007

September 20th Program – Diabetes: The New Epidemic

Presented by Catherine Gray – a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management,
and a Certified Diabetes Educator.

Embassy Suites – Ocotillo Room
We meet at the Embassy Suites just west of I-25 on Lomas.
The Ocotillo Room is at the north end of the building in the Conference Center.
5:30 p.m. Social Hour — 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Program

Diabetes is sometimes called “the new epidemic.” As a business owner, why should you be concerned about this? For the same reasons you’re concerned about the spiraling costs of health care and how it impacts your bottom line!

Advance Reservations Required by 5:00 pm on Friday, September 15, 2006:

You may make a reservation online or by email only.

• To RSVP online click here. After submitting your reservation, you will have the option to continue and pay online in advance with any credit card or an electronic check.
• You can also email Luci Dawson at to reserve your place and pay at the door with cash, check, MasterCard or Visa only.
• To cancel a standing reservation: email Luci before the September 15th deadline.
• Meeting Cost: $27 members; $32 non-members
• RSVPs received after 5:00 pm on Friday, September 15th, and “Walk-Ins”: $37 members – $42 non-members
• Cancellations after 5:00 pm on Friday, September 15th, and “No Shows” will be invoiced.

Roundtable Discussions – 5:30-6:00 p.m.

• Health Reform Efforts in New Mexico – Celia Ameline, GEN 5 Development, LLC
• The NM Health Plan: A Solution to Our Health Care Crisis – Jane Blume, Desert Sky Communications

Spotlight Tables

• Jennifer Dunstan Communications – Jennifer Dunstan
• Life Options Academy – Jane Dixon
• The Longaberger Company – Lisa Godin
• Total Body Wellness, LLC – Jeanette Harris
• Ward Promotional Marketing Solutions – Ellen Perrin

NAWBO is Growing – NM to Have a Second Chapter

As was announced at the July monthly meeting, the NNM-NAWBO Chapter is working closely with the NAWBO National to establish a NAWBO Chapter in Las Cruces, NM. I am please to announce that Faye Heller and Mary Bresnahan have agreed to co-chair the Chapter in Formation Steering Committee along with Cecelia Norblett, our National NAWBO liaison.

The new chapter will serve a radius of approximately 50 miles, which means it may pull members from El Paso, TX. If you have contacts in Las Cruces or the outlying cities such as Santa Teresa, Sundland Park, Mesilla, Hatch, even into the El Paso area, please contact them about the new chapter.

If you would like to be a part of forming another chapter in NM, email Mary or email Faye or email me

The steering committee for this exciting event is in the early planning stage. As mentioned we are seeking contacts in Las Cruces that will join the steering committee and actually spearhead the formation for their city. Following the creation of the steering we will hold a meeting in Las Cruces to finalize the formation plan. In early 2007 we hope to hold a large reception in Las Cruces and invite potential members and Corporate Sponsors to hear about the benefits of NAWBO and why every women business owner should consider joining.

Stay Tuned for regular updates on the Las Cruces Chapter…

Sandy Cody,
President NAWBO-NNM

Welcome New Members

Lynne Marcus
President
Marcus + Company
6001 Imperata St, NE #1112
Albuquerque, NM 87111
Phone: 505-828-0222
Email Lynne
Visit Lynne’s Web Site
Established Business Owner

Marcus + Company develops effective marketing programs – including newsletters, collateral, events, awards and recognition programs, and public relations – to help clients get more visibility and recognition for their products and services.

Jane Dixon
President
Life Options Academy
3409 Pan American Fwy NE,
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Cell: 688-8004
Fax: 212-0607
Email Jane
Visit Jane’s Web Site
Emerging Business Owner

A one year intensive residential program for at-risk teen mothers and their babies. Staff and volunteers teach residents to parent themselves and their children, working towards establishing self-sufficiency, giving them both an unprecedented “first-chance” by ministering to the whole mother – mind, body, and spirit.

Lisa Adkins
President
SolutionWerx, Inc.
8204 Louisiana Blvd, NE Suite B
Albuquerque, NM 87113
Phone: 797-3801
Fax: 797-7214
Email Lisa
Visit Lisa’s Web Site
Established Business Owner

SolutionWerx is a software development and information technology support firm. It is 100% woman owned, 8(a) and SDB Certified. We specialize in rapid custom application development and business process automation.

Platinum Profile – Sandy Cody

Sandy Cody, President of Resources for Excellence, Inc., has over 25 years of management and human resource experience in the private and public sectors. She has her Master’s Degree in Management with a focus in Organizational Development and Human Resource Management and is a Senior Professional in Human Resources through the Human Resources Certification Institute.

Sandy is a popular and award winning adjunct faculty member at Webster University, bringing practical, “real-world” experience to her courses in organizational development, critical thinking and decision-making, and human resource management. She is frequently asked to present workshops and seminars.

She enjoys community work, in addition to her commitment to the Northern New Mexico Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and serves on the Board of Directors for the New Mexico Alzheimer’s Association.

Sandy received the New Mexico Human Resources Excellence award from the New Mexico Society of Human Resource Management. This award recognizes Human Resources professionals statewide who have demonstrated the highest levels of commitment, dedication, and innovation to the field of Human Resources.

Sandy guides her life with the belief that one must be of service to others and walk with integrity and purpose.

Owner & President
Resources for Excellence, Inc.
12805 Arroyo de Vis NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111-2903
(505) 323-1415
Fax: (505) 323-1418
Email Sandy
Visit Sandy’s Web Site

Management consultation including Operations and Human Resources, Project Management, Leadership and Organizational Development

Update on National Web Site Upgrade & Chapter Directory

If you’ve ever used national’s online directory (commonly called “e-Series”) to update your record or look for another chapter member, you know how cumbersome the process is and probably came away very dissatisfied. Well national heard your concerns and in April they called for proposals from the membership and beyond for completely upgrading their web site.

Their first priority for the Web-based Member and Chapter Services Enhancement Project was to have a member directory that would be much easier to search, would be updated in real time, and would permit any member to download the entire directory for her chapter. There were also enhancements directed toward how chapters as a whole can retrieve the information that is meaningful to them as well.

Since I deal with the national directory on a daily basis and have been quite vocal about its shortcomings from both the member and chapter standpoint, once the 26 proposals they received were whittled down to the final three vendors, I volunteered to be on the task force to evaluate them during July and August. And what a great opportunity it was to work with such dedicated and knowledgeable “sisters”, as we really put their software to the test!

Price negotiations are now going on with the vendor we selected as a group and we anticipate approval to move forward shortly. Once that happens, a detailed scoping process will commence, probably in mid-September, with site-specific design requirements to follow. The initial launch of the new site will take place around the first of year, at which time those of us on the task force will test the extent to which the re-design meets our requirements or needs to be tweaked further.

The most important test (called “beta testing”) will begin by the end of February or beginning of March. This is the time when it will be most important for members with a wide range of skills…from novices to those who have a lot of online experience…to test everything out in the real-world. How easy is it to log in to access the directory? How easy is to update your record? Can you easily get a list of members in your chapter that you’d like to work with or need their services? Were you able to download the chapter directory in a usable form with no hassle? These and similarly important questions will all be part of the beta testing phase.

If you are interested in volunteering along with me to be one of the “beta testers” for the new national web site, I highly encourage you to do so. Believe me: Your contribution of time and talent will count!

Given that the long-awaited change in national’s directory won’t be ready until spring 2007, the Member Communications committee is working hard to bring you a directory that you can use in the interim. On August 23 we asked all members to double-check that their contact information in the national directory is correct. We also asked you to tell us in which business categories you would like to be listed in our “yellow pages” section so members who want to do business with you can easily find you. If you haven’t already responded to this request, please do so quickly by emailing me

—Luci Dawson
Executive Director

NAWBO Satellite Breakfast Meetings

NAWBO WESTSIDE Satellite Breakfast Meeting
the FIRST Wednesday of every month

When: September 6, 2006
7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.

Where: Weck’s Restaurant
6311 Riverside Plaza Lane
Coors and Montano Plaza Drive
352-6209

Guest Speaker: A 10 minute presentation by Barbara Dawson of Balancing
Life and Work.
Topic: “Word of Mouth Advertising,
the best form of Advertising”

NAWBO UPTOWN Satellite Breakfast Meeting
the SECOND Wednesday of every month

When: September 13, 2006
7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.

Where: Le Peep Restaurant
2125 Louisiana NE (South of Pier One)
SW corner of Indian School & Louisiana
881-7272

Guest Speaker: A 10 minute presentation by Jane Blume of Desert Sky Communications.
Topic: “Don’t be a well-kept secret: Increase visibility & build your reputation”

Cost: Members – cost of breakfast (bring your appetite)
Non-members – cost of breakfast and a $5 admission fee

(please note that non-members can attend up to 3 times. After three visits, they will be encouraged to join NAWBO)

To RSVP please email Julie Epling or contact her at 881-1700.

Candidate Debate-September 22nd

As a coalition partner of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), we cordially invite you to attend a debate addressing the candidates’ stance on issues that affect New Mexico businesses.

The debate will be moderated by Terry Neese, WIPP Co-founder and Past President, and all New Mexico state women legislators are invited to attend as guests. When: Friday, September 22, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Where: Embassy Suites, just west of I-25 on Lomas Cost: $30 per person

You can download the full version in PDF: WIPP_Invitation-final.pdf (PDF; 69K)

—Robin Dozier Otten, NAWBO-NNM Vice-President, Public Policy

Renewing NAWBO-NM Members

Ann Allsbury
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
9201 Montgomery Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111-2468
Work: (505) 977-5854
Fax: (505) 271-8217
Email Ann
Visit Ann’s Web Site
Residential real estate

Sally Beers
President
Pattern-Design.Com
4237 Courtney Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108-1111 (505) 232-0745
Fax: (505) 232-0746
Email Sally
Visit Sally’s Web Site
Pattern-design is an apparel industry technical service providing patternmaking and fit consulting to major labels and start ups.

Patricia Chavez
President/Consultant
PLC Enterprises
705 Vista Abajo Dr NE
Albuquerque, NM 87123-2246
(505) 275-7261
Fax: (505) 275-7241
Email Patricia
Over 20 years of diversified experience. Specializing in corporate relations, community relations, special event management/planning, legislative/government relations, youth and non-profit development, organizational & program management.

Maria Estella De Rios
Executive Vice Chairman
Orion International Technologies
2201 Buena Vista Dr SE Suite 211
Albuquerque, NM 87106-4265
(505) 998-4000
Fax: (505) 898-2823
Email Maria
Visit Maria’s Web Site
ORION International Technologies, Inc. is a small business firm providing engineering and scientific support to government agencies in the areas of Test & Evaluation, Advanced Technologies, Engineering & Technical Services, and Information Technologies.

Donna Kent
Principal
DK Marketing LLC
7400 Montgomery Blvd NE Suite 34
Albuquerque, NM 87109-1591
(505) 299-6609
Fax: (505) 299-6659
Email Donna
Visit Donna’s Web Site
DKMarketing, LLC creates compelling marketing materials that get results! Our goal is to help you impress your prospects and inspire them to action. We provide a solid foundation of marketing expertise combined with a large dose of creativity.

Mary Jo Lovick
Consultant
The Lovick Group
2109 White Cloud St NE
Albuquerque, NM 87112-3718
(505) 323-1715
Fax: (505) 332-2464
Email Mary Jo
Facilitate buying and selling residential real property in the tri-county area surrounding Albuquerque, NM

Florinda Martinez
President
Surveyor’s Supply Superstore Inc
3806 Carlisle Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87107-4502
(505) 888-0886
Fax: (505) 830-1029
Email Florinda
Visit Florinda’s Web Site
Our customers are not only surveyors, engineers, and construction companies. We carry a large inventory of products. We sell to the school system, police dept., people like you and me who have nothing to do with this type of business.

Joan Schlueter
Owner/CEO
On Site Hiring Consultants
4211 Bryan Ave NW
Albuquerque, NM 87114-5475
(505) 899-3353
Fax: (505) 899-3545
Email Joan
On site at client companies, consultants interview, test, & reference check candidates for permanent placement. We place all level and kinds of positions for all size companies and conduct seminars on the Techniques & Legalities of Interviewing & Hiring.

Mary Schmidt
Consultant
Business Developer and Marketing Troubleshooter
1605 Vermont NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
(505) 856-2551
Email Mary
Visit Mary’s Web Site
I offer the following services to help you build (or renovate) your business or non-profit group:
Strategic Planning and Implementation
Business Plans – Research, Writing and Renovation
Investor Presentations
Competitive Analysis and Positioning
Channel Programs
Product Development, Launch & Management
Marketing Troubleshooting

Seeking Speaker Gifts

As you know, we always give our dinner meeting speakers a token of our appreciation by presenting them with a small gift. For the past several months Diane Cannon has been providing us with our speaker gifts at a great price. We are very happy with these gifts, but would like to offer any of you a chance to donate or sell us a gift for our speaker (less than $10.00) and we will mention your name and business along with a thank you at the meeting for providing the gift.

If you are interested, please call me at 710-6646. Thank you.

Jeanette Harris
Programs Director NAWBO-NNM

Habitat for Humanity – Women’s Build Update

Here is what I know since I just talked to Joe Martinez: The start date for Women Build is now the first part of October (nothing more specific). So far, 250 volunteers have signed up (obviously not just NAWBO volunteers). Habitat is asking for volunteers to provide lunch on each of the 15 Saturdays of the project. I told him that NAWBO would take one of the Saturdays. Forty-five to fifty people will be eating each Saturday.

Ann Allsbury
Chair, Community Development

Women Entrepreneurs Presents – “Letting the IRS Help You”

SPEAKER: Linda Martinez, Local Taxpayer Advocate – New Mexico—“Letting the IRS Help You”

DATE: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
TIME: 5:30 – 8:00 PM
PLACE: MCM Elegante on Menaul

MEMBERS: $20.00
GUESTS: $25.00

Please be sure to RSVP to WE’s Web Site or call 828-9627 by September 10th at 8:00 PM to guarantee your seat at this exciting program!

Chapter Corporate Partners

Please support our Chapter Corporate Partners that support us so well.

Platinum Members

Please support our Platinum Members, whose extra financial commitment allows us to continue developing our chapter leaders.

If you would like to submit an article for the next NAWBO News, please get in touch with us!

Editor

Donna Luke
djLuke enterprises – desktop publishing and Pre-Paid Legal Services, Independent Associate
821-5659
Email Donna

Reporters

Amy Zampella
Heartline Wellness Center, Inc.
255-2203
Email Amy

Mamie C. Chan, OD
Eye Care For You, PC
821-8333
Email Mamie