Woodstock Professional & Business Women

Transcription

1 WooWoodW Woodstock Professional & Business Women January 2013 Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use. ~ Ruth Gordon NEXT MEETING: January 21 6:00 p.m. Best Western Motel Cost: $20 You must RSVP to Sherry Thurow E-vite or or Rthurow@owc.net by noon on Thursday, January 17, whether you are coming or not. President Noel Thelander thelanderkn@att.net Vice President dbesler@homestateonline.com Secretary mgb528@sbcglobal.net Treasurer Resolve I ll admit I m a skeptic of the usual New Year s Resolution, which always has seemed a little too arbitrary in its timing, sounding too much like I ll start tomorrow or Wait until next year and, therefore, may be insincere or unrealistic. But the steady, healthy, all-year-round cousin of that word resolution is a real gem resolve defined as firmness of purpose and intent, determination. Now that is a concept that can move mountains, and a word that reminds me of January in our WPBW organization. While it may seem early, now is the time that new ideas and key efforts really germinate in preparation for the Garden Walk, our most impactful fundraiser of the year, and for our Scholarship and Woman of the Year presentations, where we honor the values and accomplishments we have resolved to support and promote as a firmly grounded organization. This first part of the new year is when the real roots take hold and the strongest of new sprouts begin to surface within these committees and their programs, which have continued to improve and adapt through the wisdom and fresh ideas of many different members. My wish for us as individuals is that we will each get our hands a little dirtier this year by becoming more directly involved in one or another of these projects or committees. Every little seed of your presence every effort or fresh thought can help WPBW s goals really flourish, and getting more involved offers the added benefit of personal growth and a feeling of connection to the group, to other members and to our community as a whole. With or without our garden gloves, let s make the most of this fresh start and dig in! Warmly, Noel

2 January 2013 Page 2 WPBW Programs January 21: Cort Carlson Community & Economic Development Director City of Woodstock A s Executive Director of the McHenry County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Cort Carlson developed the County s first tourism marketing campaign, which included launching visitmchenrycounty.com and developing its first visitor guide. And by achieving certification by the Illinois Office of Tourism, the Bureau was able to greatly increase its marketing reach through state tourism grant dollars. Now, in his role as Woodstock s Community & Economic Development Director, he aims to increase employment opportunities and the tax base for the city. Find out how Cort plans to accomplish this ambitious goal and what it means for your business and your community. This is sure to be an eyeopening presentation! Upcoming Programs February 18 Artist and author Elsa Walter presents an amazing story of survival after captivity in a Communist concentration camp and depicts the vanished community she left behind. March 18 Anita Whalen, Director of the Woodstock Mozart Festival gives us a behind the scenes look at what it s like to run a music festival and what it takes to deal with a variety of artistic temperaments. April 15 Woman of the Year

3 January 2013 Page 3 Member Profile: Tamara DeModica T amara DeModica started writing at an early age. Ever since she could remember, she wanted to be a writer. A small amount of time was spent acting, which started out in an episode of a popular TV show, a television commercial, a promotional commercial for WTTW, and acting and singing in plays and musicals, but it was always writing and journalism that she preferred. When her career as a professional water skier with Cypress Gardens wasn t achievable because her parents didn t want to move to Florida, she continued with her writing, even if it was only as a hobby. After working and living in Moscow, Russia as a director for an international organization for Russian/American relations, she decided when she came back to the United States to continue her university studies, completing her bachelors degree in Public Relations, a double major in Broadcast Journalism, and masters degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Before becoming president of TEC Communications Consulting in 2001, she began her career working for the Chicago Blackhawks in public relations, WGN-TV in production, and Director of Public Relations for a State of Illinois public communications association. In 2005 she was named Top Young Businessperson of McHenry County by the Northwest Herald. She has authored many articles for trade publications, including the Public Relations Society of America as an expert in the field of PR independent practitioners and a trade publication for the Public Relations Institute of Australia. I have traveled to different countries and to many states, and nothing compares to the Chicago area and the business possibilities that can be achieved here, she says. Tamara is a professional and trusted counselor to corporate, nonprofit, and political leaders, providing strategic communications, corporate positioning, public relations, marketing, and design services for image development and branding. She is currently the Greenwood Township Precinct #1 Committeeperson where she volunteers her services for a better community and to making a difference. She also volunteers her design skills for certain non profit organizations. She is married to a Better Homes and Gardens award-winning builder, Robert DeModica, which began her involvement in subdivision developments, real estate developments, property management, and organized community associations. She has a 12-year-old son, Steven.

4 January 2013 Page 4 News & Information WPBW Welcomes New Member Lesley Smith L esley has worked for Home State Bank for the past ten years, and is now the branch manager of its Woodstock location. She is also a Realtor with Baird & Warner, having received her license ten years ago. Originally from England, Lesley became a U. S. citizen on July 5, She has lived in six other countries, and each of her three children was born in a different one. Lesley says she s looking forward to getting to know everyone at WPBW and becoming more involved in the Woodstock community this year, particularly with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. ~ Thank-you to these members who have volunteered to bring Raffle Prizes and Wine to the meetings ~ Volunteer List for Raffle Prizes January February March April none required May Shelly Eslick June Chris Nejdl Volunteer List for Wine January Noel Thelander February Doreen Paluch March Lynn Fiala April none required May Sherry Thurow June Marsha Portnoy

5 Women Promote education and the community Build friendships and become better business and professional women Winners Please Visit Us WPBW Officers President Noel Thelander Edward Jones Investments edwardjones.com Vice President Home State Bank homestateonline.com Secretary Retired Treasurer Bear Hugs of Chicagoland Woodstock Professional & Business Women An organization dedicated to active community service and the elevation of standards for women in business and the professions. OBJECTIVES We are dedicated to community service and the promotion of standards for women in business and the professions. We are committed to extending opportunities for education to women who wish to extend or further their careers in the professional and business fields. POLICES We are a non-profit, n o n s e c t a r i a n, a n d non-partisan organization. MEMBERSHIP Membership may be held by individuals employed or retired, who support the objectives of the club and are interested in serving the community of Woodstock. DUES Annual dues are payable in September. Annual dues are $40. Life time members do not pay dues (25 or more years with WPBW) OFFICERS P r e s i d e n t, V i c e President, Secretary and Treasurer. Elections are held in June. The term of office begins with the September meeting. STANDING COMMITTES Budget; Garden Walk; Historian; Fund Raising Events; Membership; Newsletter; Programs; and Woman of the Year MEETINGS Monthly, excluding July and August. Meetings are held in Woodstock on the THIRD MONDAY of each month. Networking begins at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:30, followed by meeting and program. Current dinner charge is $20. If you are unable to attend a meeting and fail to notify a member of the membership committee, you will be charged for the dinner. The Restaurant is guaranteed a standing number of dinners base d o n membership WPBW Committee Chairs Budget Bear Hugs of Chicago Land Program Sherry Thurow rthurow@owc.net Besler4@comcast.net Membership Ellen Kalinowski ejkalinowski@co.mchenry.il.us Fund Raising Events dianabark@comcast.net Woman of the Year Award Doreen Paluch Attorney dtplaw@sbcglobal.net Lynn Fiala lfiala@bankgoldeneagle.com Frances Kuhn Scholarship Fund Tina Hill State Rep. Mike Tryon tinarenee78@hotmail.com Garden Walk Esther Kaplan poke04@gmail.com dianabark@comcast.net Newsletter Marsha Portnoy MPort331@aol.com