2008 Award Winners
Business Owners and Corporations Receive Honors at Women's Business Conference
At the 2008 Women's Business Conference, June 12-14 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, NAWBO recognized the following business owners and corporations for their excellence and contributions to the community.
NAWBO/Wachovia Woman Business Owner of the Year
Dana Rambow, President and CEO of AristoCare, one of the fastest growing full medical, non-Medicare Home Health Agencies in the country. Dana is a nationally recognized expert in the home health arena, a charismatic and sought after speaker, and a dynamic leader, whose tenacity and creativity has helped her build her business and launch a franchise network that will facilitate the expansion of her business model. She has won awards for leadership, business growth, entrepreneurship, and business ethics both on the local and national level. Active in her community, she is the Immediate Past President of the NAWBO Greater Tucson Chapter and has held various leadership positions in NAWBO.
AristoCare was listed by "Inside Tucson Business" as the Top Home Health Care Agency in 2005. The success of the business is due largely to Dana’s hard work and dedication. When starting her business, what struck Dana the most was the complete lack of quality and customer service in the home care industry. After creating her motto of “Putting the Heart Back into Home Health Care”, she set out to do just that. First she surrounded herself with health professionals and administrative personnel who were dedicated to her commitment to quality care. Secondly, she realized that the biggest challenge facing a home care agency is the recruitment and, more importantly, the retention of good, quality caregivers. She set about implementing a recruitment and retention plan that literally treated her staff like gold. In three years she realized a business growth of over 273% with three company owned stores. To expand on this phenomenal growth she set about awarding franchises of her business model with a 5 year plan to open 200 locations nationwide. AristoCare is focusing on increasing its business in Phoenix and Northern California. They have four locations in Southern Arizona as well.
NAWBO Member of the Year
Therese Smyntek, Director of Everything Nature. On the national level, Therese serves on the Presidents Assembly Steering Committee, a coalition of the presidents and presidents-elect from each of NAWBO’s 80 chapters. She was recently selected to serve as the Steering Committee’s Chair-Elect, becoming Chair in 2009-2010 and sitting on the National Board of Directors.
Therese is a vital chapter leader for NAWBO Orlando. Under her guidance, the chapter has increased its total annual sponsorships from less than $10,000 a year in 2004 to more than $105,000 in 2008. She led a team that created a set of tools and programs to accomplish this and has shared those with other chapters nationwide this year. In addition, Therese has held several chapter leadership positions, including president, corporate partner chair, audit committee chair, secretary and 2005 National Convention Host Chapter Co-Chair. These activities have given her insight to help lead NAWBO members and chapters on a national level.
Therese also helped create the NAWBO Orlando Foundation in 2006 and serves as president of the 501c3, which is a sister organization to NAWBO Orlando. The foundation’s mission is to promote entrepreneurship and foster economic development in Central Florida through educational programs, fundraising activities and community involvement. One of the foundation’s goals is to provide scholarship money to women business owners who seek further education, such as an MBA, professional certification, or secondary education. This year, under Therese’s guidance, the foundation appointed a community leader from Walt Disney World as its chair and formed a board comprised of former NAWBO Orlando officers and other community leaders.
NAWBO/Wells Fargo Trailblazer Award
Marion Hook, Adobe Rose Inn, LLC. Established in 2003 by Marion, Adobe Rose Inn is a full-service bed and breakfast located in Central Tucson, Arizona. Originally built in 1933, Adobe Rose Inn offers six unique guest rooms and has built a reputation of delivering consistent and customized customer service. In effort to expand and diversify her business, Marion launched the Adobe Rose Inn Buttermilk Scone Mix and plans to offer additional recipes. Leading the way in establishing a “green” bed and breakfast, Adobe Rose Inn uses solar tube lighting and gray water drip irrigation system.
Virginia Madueño, IMAGEN, LLC. IMAGEN is a full-service public relations and marketing firm specializing in grassroots outreach, social marketing and media relations. IMAGEN provides resources and education on key social issues including education, ovarian cancer and drug awareness. Recognizing a need to better serve the Latino community, owner Virginia Madueño established IMAGEN to help companies more effectively communicate and connect with the Spanish speaking community.
Assunta Ng, Seattle Chinese Post Inc./Northwest Asian Weekly. Seattle Chinese Post is the first Chinese language newspaper in the Pacific Northwest. Established in 1982 by Assunta Ng, the newspaper and its English sister publication, the Northwest Asian Weekly, engages and empowers the Asian community. Remaining the leading Asian-community-based publications in the Northwest, Seattle Chinese Post Inc. and Northwest Asian Weekly also provides summer internship opportunities, scholarship programs and sponsors community events throughout the year.
Corporate Partner of the Year
Wachovia Corporation. The Corporate Partner of the Year Award honors a NAWBO partnering organization that demonstrates exceptional efforts to advance NAWBO’s vision to propel women business owners into spheres of economic, social, and political spheres of power worldwide. Wachovia was selected by NAWBO’s 2007-2008 President, Lisa Kaiser Hickey, and its Interim Executive Director, Helen Han, for the organization’s ongoing contributions to NAWBO, its commitment to supplier diversity, and its generous contribution to NAWBO’s chapters.
Chapter Corporate Partner of the Year
Charles Gillean, Program Manager, Supplier Diversity, AstraZeneca. NAWBO Delaware Chapter President, Cathy Imburgia, nominated Mr. Gillean and AstraZeneca for this award. AstraZeneca has shown a commitment to the NAWBO chapters in Delaware, Philadelphia, and South New Jersey.
AstraZeneca was a pioneer in working with the Delaware, Philadelphia, and South New Jersey NAWBO Chapters to create the first Regional Corporate Partner Program, supporting all three chapters in their missions to foster the growth of women-owned businesses in the Delaware and tri-state region. AstraZeneca has consistently supported NAWBO, both at the grassroots and the high profile levels. Mr. Gillean always takes the initiative to meet as many NAWBO members as possible when attending local and regional program events, and to offer business opportunity referrals and advice to members.