Contents

June Luncheon

Speaker: Coach Katie Meier

From the President

Budget and Bylaws

Annual Retreat

The FX Experience – Evie Hernandez

Cannon Circle

Member Profile - Diane Brucks McDonald

Member Profile: Jan Mayer-Rodriguez

Letter from Nancy

Hurricane Preparedness

Grapevine: News and Notes about WEC Members

Book Club

WEC Board of Directors

Luncheons and Board Meetings

June Luncheon

From the President

My how time flies when you’re having fun!! I can hardly believe it’s time to pass the gavel! It’s been a great year. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure to serve as your President. But there’s, no question… I couldn’t and didn’t do it alone! I’ve said it before… I’ve had the best board ever!

The year at a glance…

In August, we started our Powerful Women series with speaker Meredith Lasher, President of Women’s Theater Project and then joined her Friday evening for a reception and the production of If We Are Women. Thank you, Dr. Donna.

In September, out Powerful Woman was a 15’ Python accompanied by her friend, Ron Magill, Goodwill Ambassador Metro Zoo. I know I can get him to come back with other lady friends.

October, as has been tradition, we held our Prospective Member Luncheon and had a record breaking 94 attendees. Thanks to everybody’s efforts we had 40 guests! Thank you, Susie and Rene! And a special thanks to Marilynn!! Marilynn graciously did it again in March to set the new precedent for years to follow.

We pinned Beth Beauchamp with a diamond for her 20th year anniversary; Leigh Nickels and Lynda Amorello for 15 and 10 years, respectively.

Then another Powerful Woman, Wilma, wreaked havoc!! I believe there was solace in the fact that the Tower Club was still able to accommodate us for our November Luncheon. And perhaps more than a coincidence that we had a spiritual speaker, Reverend Tita Calzada? Thank you, Joni.

The Holiday Luncheon at Trina drew 75 people to enjoy the member modeled fashion show. You looked fabulous! Thanks, Suzanne and Kathleen from A Style Is Born and Brian and Alex from Red Door Spa. We shared gifts and lots of holiday cheer.

With the New Year, we continued to have a wide array of Powerful Women; Marsha Elser, Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, thank you, Roberta; Marilyn Mitzel, formerly WSVN, thanks Nancy; Commissioner Leiberman and Mary Becht, Broward County, thanks Pam; Col. Leigh Coulter and still yet to come, UM Basketball Coach, Katie Meier, thanks again and again and again, Nancy! The VP of Internal Involvement is a huge job and you’ve done an incredible job!

Thanks to Melissa, we have begun the relationship with PACE! It’s what we’ve been looking for… a way to give back to girls who can truly benefit. They will join us again in June and we will present them with a $25. donation in the name of our speakers. Please keep on bringing your school supplies and gifts for the girls’ incentive store! Do take a tour of the Center! WEC sets the PACE for Girls!

VP of Community Involvement has is small job, either! Melissa has really wrapped her arms around our WEW and FX programs! Edie Hoppe interviewed both Pat McCarthy (WEW) and Athena Ransom (FX) to better understand how we can help. Thanks, Edie. Melissa will be meeting with Evie Hernandez (FX) to get her perspective after being coached by Drazia all year. Thanks, Drazia! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Melissa!

We started Business Sponsorships and Business Showcases this year and had very creative (business and at home) Cannon Circles. Thanks, Dee and to all who participated!

What a group effort! Thanks to all of the attendees of Book Club and Emily for coordinating GEM Lunches.

Thanks to Dorothy for keeping us in the black and Cynthia for keeping the record straight. Their contributions are more behind the scenes but no less appreciated!!

As President-Elect, Vivien chose a Spanish theme for the year-end FunRaiser and hosted us at the Ft. Lauderdale Yacht Club for the 2006-2007 retreat. Good times were had by all. Mucho gracias, Vivien!

To Chris, Joni (for pictures) and especially Jenny for keeping you informed via this newsletter 11 months out of the year!

If I didn’t mention you individually, I apologize. I want you to know that I am grateful to each and everyone of you for giving me this opportunity, supporting me and making this a most memorable experience!!

The members of this club will always hold a special place in my heart!

Ronnie

Budget and By-Laws

This year's board has proposed some changes to WEC's bylaws. They also have a proposed budget for 2007-07. It is customary for the membership at large to vote to accept (or not accept) these at the annual meeting, which is also our June luncheon. If you have any questions before the vote, please contact any member of the board.

To see the By-Laws changes, click here.
To see the proposed budget click here.

Book Club

Jan Herard writes:
The Book Club will be meeting Monday June 5, 2006 at 6:30PM at my home: 7550 NW 10 Court, Plantation. The book that we are going to discuss is "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell. A summary of this book can be read on our website.

All are welcome even if you haven't finished the book. We have a pot luck dinner, so bring something to share. Wine and beverages are provided. My home number is 954-581-8657 if you're lost!
Jan Herard

Annual Retreat

We all had a marvelous time at the annual retreat held at the Lauderdale Yacht Club. After enjoying each other’s company and lunch, we broke into groups for discussions on fellowship and networking, communications, community development and the monthly luncheons.

We had a competition among the groups to see who knew the most about Ft. Lauderdale’s history. Congratulations to the green team. We didn’t want the chocolate anyway! (Sour grapes from the Type A team.)

We spent time discussing opinions between the tables before we said goodbye and headed to Vivien’s house for a glass of wine.

Regards, Vivien Godfrey

The FX Experience – Evie Hernandez

The purpose of Women's Executive Club is to give executives the opportunity of fellowship with their peers in diverse fields; to promote the image of the woman executive; to further the interrelationships of such executives and to promote the general welfare of their businesses and community.

Success is the result of many factors- education, hard work, and courage. Most successful people will also tell us that words of encouragement and advice from special role models inspired them to achieve excellence in their endeavors.

Two years ago, before I officially moved to Florida, I "accidentally" ended up at one of WEC meetings in Fort Lauderdale where I first met Dee - a very caring and loving professional woman. It was because of her follow up, her attention and her professional attitude that I wanted to become more involved with WEC. I thought I could meet professional women, who were career oriented but who did not loose the special touch of the heart that we have as women. Through Dee I had the pleasure and honor or meeting Ronnie, a woman who is professional, loving, kind and a very strong woman.

Thanks to Ronnie I was selected to be involved in WEC. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity of being in the FX mentoring program.

My definition of the FX Program is that it is a professional business mentorship program that offers the mentee the gift of guidance. As a Future Executive for WEC I had the privilege of having a mentor. Drazia Rubenstein - a caring professional woman who served as a positive business role model by providing me with support, friendship, and encouragement. She dedicated her time, energy and resources to recommend ways for me to develop specific professional skills to develop effective professional behavior to deal effectively with certain work/business situations.

I am so thankful for the pleasure of being mentored by this woman. I am very thankful to WEC for introducing me to Drazia, a woman that I admire and respect. I feel that my Mortgage Banking business has grown because of the guidance that I have received. I have learned how to deal with Team Members as well as clients more effectively. I am honored to be part of WEC a league of Women who are business oriented, extremely professional and very giving.

I am extremely thankful to the WEC. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to WEC. I would like to show my appreciation to WEC by sponsoring next years’ FX. If possible I would give a donation to sponsor a new FX into WEC in honor of Drazia and my great appreciation to her.

Since I believe in the concept that what comes around goes around, I would love the opportunity to be able to coach a new FX.

I love to give. I feel that I have received so much. I want to give back, my (small amount) of time, energy and capital resources to be able to help another young professional woman, like myself, succeed in the business world.

This is my way of showing appreciation and respect for what I have found to be a professional growing experience like no other.

Cannon Circle

Suzie King and Joyce Shore hosted their joint Cannon Circle downtown at Insight of Fort Lauderdale –– an organization that records books and magazines on tape for free for the visually impaired. Suzie is President of the Insight Board.

We met in the most delightful (and well-kept secret) Sensory Garden behind the Insight building and as promised enjoyed gentle breezes, music and yummy food.

The best part of the evening, other than the spirited conversation, was the “blind” wine tasting. We were all served a taste of five white wines and then asked to rate them. Each bottle was exquisitely concealed in a brown paper bag with a big number on it! It was a lot of fun and you’ll be pleased to know that all the winos at the party chose the most expensive bottle.

May Cannon Circle
New members Joanne Dee and Ellen Wong hosted our May get together at the recently completed Ironstone Bank building where they work. As soon as you walk in, you sense that North Carolina charm. There are no impersonal Plexiglas windows for tellers to hide behind, but there are lots of intriguing art and comfy chairs.

We enjoyed scrumptious food and wine, and tours led by our hosts.

Thank you to all four for inviting us to share an evening with you. It was great fun!

Member Profile - Diane Brucks McDonald

I was born in Jefferson City, Mo. I graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Fine Arts (drawing, painting).

I taught elementary/junior high art for almost 10 years in Jefferson City and St.Louis, Mo.

I moved to Ft. Lauderdale in 1978. I have worked in the Swimwear Industry since 1980 (design/manufacturing, retail, wholesale).

I am currently a sales representative for La Palapa- a resortwear/cover-up line, Asha Couture – designer swimwear and Hydra Swimwear. My territory is Florida and the Caribbean.

I serve as secretary on the board of the Swimwear Association of Florida. I also serve on the Alliance Board which is a national liaison for sales representatives and manufacturers. Our swimwear show in Miami this July kicks off the beginning of the new season (Cruise 2007) with the largest international swimwear show in the world.

I am also a licensed private investigator with McDonald Investigative Services of Plantation. I work with my husband who is retired from the F.B.I. We conduct background searches, surveillances, locate individuals through extensive searches of data bases, conduct interviews to help resolve matters relating to business losses, etc.

I married Wayne McDonald in 1998. I have two step sons: Albert McDonald of Atlanta, GA and Benson McDonald of Charleston, S.C.

I am a member of First Presbyterian Church of Ft. Lauderdale (currently serving as a deacon, member of the Adult Ministries Committee, the New Member committee and a certified Bethel teacher).

My hobbies are reading, painting, travel, art history, theatre, dance and swimming.

I am happy to be a part of W.E.C. I have made many new friends. I enjoyed the recent retreat. Great job, Vivien!

Member Profile: Jan Mayer-Rodriguez

As co owner of Mianja Solutions I am the COO and VP currently engaged in only one consulting contract to PeopleTek, Inc, a leadership coaching and development company. As Vice President of PeopleTek Customer Relations, I am the focal point for all the businesses engaged in contracts with PeopleTek. I oversee coaching contracts, assess business needs and seek ways to improve the infrastructure and develop and fine-tune marketing strategies.

Prior to starting Mianja Solutions (which is a derivative of my husband Miguel and my name Jan) I had a 27 year career with American Express where I held a sundry of managerial positions in both business operations and in the technologies field. Of the roughly 15 positions I held, my preferred areas included Information Security, Customer Relations, Quality Control, and Six Sigma Champion.

I was born and raised outside of Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1975 with a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology. Immediately after graduation I relocated to South Florida and began my career.

Miguel and I have two beautiful teenage daughters and a 12 year old German Shepherd “puppy” named Lola. My family is my hobby. We love to travel, enjoy outdoor activities and attend sporting events together.

I look forward to getting to know the members of WEC and will participate in as many activities as possible. I would also like to thank Ronnie Karlin for inviting me to join this wonderful organization!

Letter from Nancy

Dear Fellow WEC Members:

I wanted to take a moment to say to everyone that I truly enjoyed my year as your Vice President of Internal Involvement. I have to be honest and say that, at first, I was apprehensive about what I taking on, and how to do it, but I must say that the Board was kind to steer me through the waters and I stepped out of my comfort zone, and am proud to say that I feel like I have grown because of it. I feel warm and fuzzy inside because of my accomplishments and am very proud of my work during the year. I have learned so much and will take with me so much more. Of course, I wouldn't have been able to do it all without the help and support of the people who helped me in other committees.

Your friendship, however, has been, and will always be, the best part of this organization. Initially when I joined I was asked why I wanted to join, and I said, I thought it was lonely at the top (meaning in my company), and meeting all of you has negated those feelings. I feel like I have met women who, are not only in my age group, but also feel like you are my peers and I really enjoy spending time with all of you.

I also wanted to thank you all for the love, support, cards and emails I received when my Mom went off to heaven. My Dad is doing better in his new Assisted Living Facility and life goes on. My life, though, is a little brighter, thanks to you.

I will continue to serve you in any way I can, (I don't mean with a Subpoena, either), and look forward to many years in this great organization.

Best wishes,

Nancy Fischer
VP Internal Involvement

Hurricane Preparedness

ARE YOU PREPARED?
By Melissa Rapkin

We hear those three words over and over this time of year. We’ve become experts at what those three words mean.

We know how to prepare our homes. We purchase hurricane shutters, we install impact-resistant windows, we research which generator to buy.

We know how to prepare our families. We purchase bottled water, batteries and non-perishable foods. We stock up on gasoline and we learn how to cook dinner on a gas grill.

But have you prepared your business? Does your building have hurricane shutters or impact-resistant glass? Do you have surge protectors and UPS back ups attached to your equipment? Do you back up your computer data – consistently? Are your confidential documents stored safely? If you had to evacuate, do you know what to take with you?

Until you answer yes to all those questions, you are not fully prepared.

Tens of thousands of people lost their homes and businesses in the Gulf Coast during Hurricane Katrina. We were lucky last summer. Wilma was only a Category 1 Hurricane when it struck Broward County. The prediction for this summer:

• 17 Named Storms
• 9 Hurricanes
• 5 Major Hurricanes.

You need to keep backups of all your records:

• Tax
• Personal
• Production
• Accounting
• Payroll
• Client
• Supplier Lists

Don’t wait until a hurricane approaches. Do it now.

Melissa Rapkin is president of Documents2Disc. If you think you need help with your disaster and recovery plan, you can call her at 954-545-0123. All your documents can be scanned and converted to .pdf format. They provide their customers with two copies of all CD’s, giving you back up of all your important information. They’ll help you be prepared.

The Executive Grapevine: news and notes about WEC members. (send them email by clicking on their name)

Ellen Wong writes:
I have started the Private Client Group at IronStone Bank in Broward County.

Emily Rushin sent in these three paintings she did in Cinque Terra, Italy.

Jan Herard writes:
I was the Tournament Chair for the 2006 Coldwell Banker Cares Golf Tournament for Habitat for Humanity on April 24, 2006.. We had 136 Golfers and an additional 50 people for dinner and the silent auction.

We made a profit of $23,000. 100% of this money will go to Habitat. This will enable Coldwell Banker agents to build another home with a Habitat for Humanity family.

Tara Horner writes:

Dear Friends,
As most of recently know, I have been selected by the Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation as one of Fort Lauderdale's Finest Singles. Honorees were
selected based on their professional and philanthropic accomplishments, as
well as their commitment to making a difference in the communities in which
they live and work.

As an honoree, I have made a personal pledge to raise funds in the amount
of $2000 for cystic fibrosis (CF) research. I am of course hoping that you
will help me raise as much money as possible, and so I would like to invite
you to join me in support of this very worthy cause. I would sincerely
appreciate any contributions that you can make on my behalf to the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation. Monies raised from events like this go a long way
toward the Foundation's work to find a cure for this genetic disease.
Please help us in our fight to make "CF" stand for "Cure Found." Checks
can be send on my behalf to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation office,
attention Stephanie Rumin, at the following address: 3443 NW 55th Street,
Bldg. 7, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. (Please be sure to include my name on
the memo portion of the check.) Every donation is 100% tax deductible and
a receipt will be sent to you directly from the CFF office.

If you have any questions, or need more information, please do not
hesitate to me at 954-609-7267. Thank you in advance for your support and
generosity and I hope to see you at the event on June 3rd. The Tower Club
will be putting together a table in honor of me and if you would like to
attend the event, you may contact:

Stephanie L. Rumin
Director of Special Events
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
3443 NW 55th Street; Building #7
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Phone: 954.739-5006 Fax: 954.739-2890

With warmest regards,

Tara Horner
Fort Lauderdale's Finest Singles Honoree

Joni Rosenthal writes:
POWER SPEAKERS TOASTMASTERS
You might wonder why I would ever think of mentioning the idea to any WEC'ER to attend a Toastmasters meeting? Most of us are able to get up in front of an audience without much hesitation but there are those of us who are really painfully scared of speaking in public.

Three years ago, I became a Charter Member of a group we ended up calling POWER SPEAKERS. For me, who had been in the theater, had her own TV talk show, what was I doing in a group that would teach me to speak comfortably in public and without having my tummy rolling in the isles? To tell the truth, I was always nervous when I went before the public but no one knew it. I decided that I needed a roadmap so that for the rest of my life, I would enjoy speaking in public. To my utter amazement, I have ended up having a passion for speaking, especially when I have a special TOPIC to share. We have one little thought that we share with our first time speakers, " Imagine that your audience is naked in front of you. You will feel and realize that we are all made from the same cloth."

Power Speakers Toastmasters has polished me to the point where I have the ability to speak at a drop of a hat. I am President of Power Speakers and find our group of people the nicest, the most caring bunch of people I have met in a long time. The comradship is similar to our WEC. The group is very diverse. We have about 20 members at present. This situation seems to be a comfortable interaction of people for those who attend. We have a lovely woman from Germany, 2 from England, a Korean gentleman, a chinese student, 3 from Trinidad, one French gentleman, a professor from the Art Institute, a novelist and everything else in between. Some very high powered people!

The integrity and output of higher learning in this group is amazing. Our motto is:" PACING EACH OTHER ON THE ROAD TO EXCELLENCE." Thus, with this thought in mind, I wish to invite WEC ladies to be a guest at one of our meetings. We meet at:
Unity Church Fort Lauderdale
1800 N.E. 6th Court
Fort Lauderdale, FLorida 33304
(Located right off Victoria Park)
TUESDAY EVENINGS AT 7 TO 8:30PM
We are the best of the best! I know that you will have a most enjoyable time with us. We look forward to your first visit.

As always, my love and affection,
JONI
954-462-4620 or visit our website at: Powerspeakersfl.freetoasthost.com.

WEC Board of Directors
2005-2006

President Ronnie Karlin

Past President Dee Moustakas
Nominating Committee
Cannon Circles

President Elect Vivien Godfrey
Fun(d) Raising Committee

VP Finance Dorothy Eisenberg
Treasurer

VP Corporate Records Cynthia Hardy
Corporate Records
Historian
By-Laws Committee

VP Internal Involvement Nancy Fischer
Social Committee
Programs Committee
Greetings Committee
Newsletter

VP Community Involvement Melissa Rapkin
Mentorship (FX) Program
Women Empowering Women (WEW)
Community Outreach
Public Relations

VP Membership Marilynn Obrig
Membership Committee
Membership Luncheon
Directory
Webmaster

All contact information is available for WEC members on our Members Only website. If you are a member and you don't have a name and password, you can contact Chris Guld for more information.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, June 15 - Luncheon with Coach Katie Meier UM Women's Basketball

Board Meetings

Friday, June 2

Membership Attendance:
The membership requirement is to attend a minimum of five (5) club events every year in order to maintain regular membership. This is calculated on a fiscal year basis (i.e. August-June, not calendar year).