Women's Executive Club Newsletter

March 2004 Newsletter
Contents: March Luncheon "Puttin on the Ritz" The Executive Grapevine Upcoming Luncheons and Board Meetings Cannon Circle Schedule WEC Mission Statement Book Club Women Empowering Women Mentorship Program Greet Eat Meet WEC Board of Directors 2003-2004 President - Leigh Nickel President Elect - Dee Moustakas VP Corporate Records - Emily Rushin VP Community Involvement - Ronnie Karlin VP Finance - Jacqueline Powell VP Internal Involvement Toby Manke VP Membership - Carolyn Ernest-Jones Past President - Joyce Shore 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 Luncheons 11:30 am Riverside Hotel March 16, 2004 April 16, 2004 May 14, 2004 June 15, 2004 Upcoming Board Meetings 12 noon Riverside Hotel April 2, 2004 May 7, 2004 June 4, 2004	March Luncheon Date: Tuesday March 16, 2004 Time: 11:30 Networking 12:00 Luncheon The Riverside Hotel 620 East Las Olas Blvd Fort Lauderdale Guest Cost: $20.00 Members are responsible for all guest lunches Program: "Table Topics - The Spotlight Is On You" Join us at the March meeting when we, once again, showcase the collective wisdom of our members. You can count on lively conversation around topics designed to encourage the exploration of areas of your lives generally not considered. This is an opportunity brainstorm, expand your boundaries and collect new ideas while getting to know some WEC members better. Don’t forget to wear a Purple Hat in honor of: March is Women’s history month. Erma Bombeck, who lost her battle with cancer. Menu: Field green salad with red wine vinaigrette Rolls & butter Grilled Mahi Mahi Fresh Florida Mahi marinated in lemon, lime, cilantro and ground black pepper, grilled and served over ratatouille garnished with fried plantain chips Alternate: Grilled Vegetables over Pasta in Basil Sauce Dessert: Marble cheesecake RSVP to: Toby Manke by March 10th at 954-522-2200 or tsm@brinkleymcnerney.com Top FROM THE BOARD As President-elect, I’ve spent the past nine months reacquainting myself with the inner workings of WEC. I’ve been a member since 1984 and served on the Board at least six times in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. And I loved every minute of it! My primary responsibilities this year are chairing the “Puttin’ On The Ritz” Gala and pitching in whenever other Board members need help. We have an intelligent system in place that ensures continuity from year to year. And thanks to Joyce Shore and her long-range planning committee, the club now offers something for just about everyone. Leigh Nickel and her Board have guided the new direction our Mentoring program is taking and helped implement the programs set in motion by Joyce: GEM lunches, Book Club and We Mean Business. I and my Board –– and you –– are the beneficiaries of their vision and dedication. I don’t know about you, but my calendar is peppered with WEC functions –– each one providing an opportunity to get to know members better and in different settings. This is a wonderful group of smart, funny, passionate women. I’m proud to be in such exquisite company. Dee Moustakas, President Elect 2004-2005 Slate of Officers Yep, it's that time again. At the March luncheon you will be asked to approve the following slate of officers for Women's Executive Club: President: Dee Moustakas Past President: Leigh Nickel President Elect: Ronnie Karlin VP Finance: Jacqueline Powell VP Corporate Records: Emily Rushin VP Internal Involvement: Vivien Godfrey VP Community Involvement: Joni Rosenthal VP Membership: Marilyn Obrig Congratulations! And THANK YOU! to those members who serve on our Board. PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ GALA WARM-UP EVENT PARTICULARS Date: Saturday, March 20, 2004 –– 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. Where: Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum, 1527 SW 1st Avenue Who: YOU, significant others, friends, clients Click Here Now to buy your tickets online. With only a few weeks until our Gala, I just had to tell you how excited I am and how everything is coming together. We’re well on our way to raising the funds we need to support our WEW and FX mentor programs for the year. Sponsors supporting the event include Warren Henry Automobiles as well as twelve WEC member businesses. And wait until you see the dozens of wonderful items we’ve collected for our auctions. Our silent auction offers the perfect opportunity to bid on everything from jewelry and deluxe gift baskets to weekend stays and dining certificates. Plus, this year we’re trying something new and exciting: We’re placing three of our most fabulous prizes –– 7 day/6 night vacation accommodations –– into a live auction, complete with auctioneer. If you haven’t sent in your RSVP, please do so before March 10. We want to make sure we have enough of everything to accommodate what we know is going to be a record turnout. You can purchase your tickets with a credit card using PayPal by clicking Here. So slip on your party duds and step into another era. I promise you are going to have a “roaring” good time! See you there! Any questions email Dee Moustakas. Membership: The membership requirement is to attend a minimum of five (5) meetings every year in order to maintain regular membership. This is calculated on a fiscal year basis (i.e. August-June, not calendar year). top Cannon Circle Members get together in a more informal atmosphere during the year. These evening socials are called "Cannon Circles" and are hosted at members' homes. The Cannon Circle is named for Past President Shirley Cannon who was known for her gracious and uplifting spirit. On Wednesday March 10, 2004 at 5:30pm, come celebrate Spring with all your WEC friends at Carol Jones' home. Please RSVP by March 5th to Carol at 954-968-3555 or 954-735-8071. Carol lives at 2693 Oak Tree Drive in Ft. Lauderdale. DIRECTIONS: From I-95 exit on Commercial Blvd - Commercial West to Prospect Road - Left Turn on Prospect (Moe's on corner) pass church and make right turn at the Oak Tree Country Club Sign. Follow road to the call box at the gate. (Carol will make arrangements to have the gate opened) After the gate make a right turn and proceed to the third house on the left. Upcoming WEC Cannon Circles March 10, 2004 Carol Jones April 28, 2004 Patty Camp, Debbie Rugg May 26, 2004 Dr. Dora Vilk-Shapiro’s Office Top The Executive Grapevine Notice the addition this month of a link to each person's email. So, if you'd like to congratulate them, or send a note, just click on their name and it will address and email to them. Dora Vilk-Shapiro: My office team of Debi Smith, Carmen Cruz, and myself spent Feb. 26th and Feb. 27th at the Miami Winter Dental Meeting at the FountainBleu Hotel in Miami Beach. We had a lot of fun taking dental courses and checking out and ordering new dental products at the exhibits. I ran into an old classmate from U of F and also the first instructor that taught me how to do (the dreaded word) root canals! Driving to Miami two days in a row reminded me of how blessed we are in Broward not to face that awful traffic on Dade's I-95! Edie Hoppe: On March 31, Edie Hoppe will be retiring from The Arc! This ends a 37 year career in human services. She is looking forward to traveling the country with her husband, Kurt, in their new 32 foot long fifth-wheel pulled by their 450-Ford Truck. While this was a dream for Edie and her husband, it came true a lot faster than they expected, in part due to WEC! At a luncheon meeting last fall Chris Guld brought a guest, Pat Smith, who manages Paradise Island RV Resort in Ft. Lauderdale with her husband Ray. Edie connected with her to get information about traveling with a fifth-wheel. What serendipity! They met with Pat and Ray to get educated about the ins and outs of travel with a recreational vehicle. They learned that Pat and Ray, as managers of the RV park, had an apartment at the park and were interested in selling their traveling equipment. By November, Kurt took an early retirement and they struck a deal to buy Pat and Ray's traveling equipment. Kurt and Edie now enjoy weekdays at their home in Boca Raton and weekends in their fifth-wheel in Ft. Lauderdale. In April they plan to set out to travel the country going wherever their interests take them. They plan to return to their home in south Florida for the season. She'll be back in October to tell us all about her travels. Gayle Metcalf: Finally, I have some news. My daughter Christie just got engaged!!!!!. The wedding will be in October. Christie and her fiancée are engineers for Pepsi Bottling in Jacksonville. We are thrilled. Jan Herard: Our son and his wife, Bill and Julie Herard, have blessed us with a beautiful granddaughter. Her name is Justine Lynn and she was born on January 17. She was 7 lbs. 11 oz. and was 20 1/4" long. Justine Lynn, Mom, Dad and Grandma and Grandpa are doing fine! Emily Rushin has a watercolor painting titled "Mangroves at Bonnet House" in Bonnet House's Impressions of Old South Florida. This is a hard show to even get into, and Emily won Honorable Mention. The show hangs through April 5. You can see this painting and others on her website. Virginia Forster: I just received a promotion to Senior Manager of Global Real Estate Solutions at Spherion. This position reports directly to the VP of Finance. Effective May 1, 2004, my responsibilities include direct portfolio management of over 350 domestic offices and overseeing office requirements in Canada, Great Britain and Australia. The department of nine oversees all site selection, lease negotiation, design and buildout of office locations for this international staffing corporation. Donna Goldstien: During February, a total of 1,500 kids and adults in ten sites saw the play "Dr. Donna" produced on "African-American Heroes". I am hoping to run versions of the show throughout the year and would love to hear from anyone connected with schools, churches, camps or other community agencies who might be interested in an inspiring and uplifting experience for their constituents. My number is (954) 893-0123. Joyce Shore: On February 28th, I won the Buddy Award in Interior Design. The " Midnight Affair" was held in Miami at the 40th Street Design District. This award is based on: achievement of design excellence; previously published; winner of other competitions; as well as, participation in their community and the design profession. Additional criteria were pertinent, but I was too overwhelmed to remember everything. I was pleasantly surprised to win this award. top WEC BOOK CLUB: In 2002, members of WEC who had a common desire for reading and discussions formed the WEC Book Club. The book for discussion is select by the majority and the gathering is held in a member’s home (munchies are always welcome). The meeting schedule varies according to the book and other circumstances. All members are welcome to participate. WEC Book Club has chosen MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA by Arthur Golden as its next book of the month." It was written in 1997 and spent a year on the New York Times Bestseller List. WEC members are invited to join this lively group to discuss the book on Monday, March 29 at Patty Camp's. Members bring food to share. If you are just joining, please let Patty know you are coming and get directions to her home. Top Women Empowering Women Program The "Women Empowering Women" (WEW) program, started in 1996, provides financial assistance and member services support to females in the workplace who need help to further their education. Do You Know ... someone who is re-entering the workforce? . . . trying to advance in her career? . . . could use a “leg up”? Our Women Empowering Women (WEW) program provides scholarships and mentoring to women who are either going to work after staying at home for a period of time or who want to transition from an hourly position to management. If you meet Kim, our current scholarship recipient, you’ll see a bright woman working on her Masters in communication. Kim has the promise and drive to be an executive. We’re helping her do that through financial and moral support! Please help us identify someone. It can be a family member, co-worker, friend, or friend of a friend. Call (954-344-9892) or email Ann Meacham with ideas or questions. Top Special FX Mentor Program NEW PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN JANUARY Meet Tina DeBord, she is WEC's first 'FX' - 'Future Executive'. Her mentors are Ann Meacham and Joni Rosenthal. Tina has been working at AutoNation since May 2002. She was recently promoted from Manager of Controls Assurance to Director of Audit Services. Tina acquired her auto dealership experience with Crowe, Chizek & Co., LLP, an accounting firm with a large automobile industry practice. She entered the accounting arena with Deloitte & Touche and Coopers & Lybrand. Tina holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Texas and is a Florida CPA. Tina is a very welcomed member to our FX program. Please find time to introduce yourselves when you see her at our different events. Read January’s newsletter or contact Ronnie Karlin for more information or to volunteer for this exciting new adventure. GEM “Great Eat Meet” Program Formed in November 2002, members of WEC who choose to get together for an informal meeting are selected at random in small groups to great, eat and meet. A Lead person is selected to set a time and place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or what ever. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other on a more personal level. It is great fun! WEC MISSION STATEMENT 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. Ann Meacham and Barbara Moorman sharing 'fellowship with their peers' at the February luncheon. *All photos in this issue are thanx to Joni Rosenthal!
March Luncheon Tuesday, March 16 RSVP to: Toby Manke Words of Wisdom: If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, Change the way you think about it.