The Evolution of Leadership: An Athena Panel

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012

Five former Athena Award recipients discussed the meaning of leadership at the closing panel discussion at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference last Thursday.

Chamber Executive Vice President Natalie Gochnour described the panel as women who have “evolved into leadership ambassadors in our community.”

The panel included Deborah Bayle of the United Way of Salt Lake, Chris Redgrave of Zions Bank, Carol Carter of IC Products, Becky Potts of  Frontier Communications Corporation, and Senator Pat Jones of Dan Jones & Associates.

The Athenas say a leader is someone who can communicate a vision, recognize the appropriate goals to get there and then know how to bring that vision to fruition with everyone’s help.

“A sign of good leadership is the ability to get someone through the difficult times and come out the other side still whole,” says Bayle

When the women talked about the people who taught them the most about leadership, Sen. Jones described her inspiration, Judy Ann Buffmeyer, as being able to “tell someone to go to hell in a way that they would look forward to the trip.” She says that came from Buffmeyer being polite and diplomatic in her dealings.

Carter says another trait of a leader is the ability to recognize future leaders and help them develop their skills and their voice.

“People rely on you more than you even think,” Potts says, “Help mentor and get people to the next location.”

A hot topic was whether leadership was more of a female or male-dominated role and if gender made a difference. The women generally agreed that leadership differed by the individual person, independent of gender. Even though male leaders tend to be more predominant in our society, there was excitement among the panel about an emerging pattern of more women stepping up to the plate.

“Women who come forward with that voice [that doesn't agree with the majority] are often the ones who spearhead change,” Carter says.

Redgrave focused on choosing self-discovery over self-advocacy. She says it’s all about finding your voice and developing it, not just speaking out whenever you think it’s helpful.

Each of the women noted that we should be focusing on being our best self, recognizing where our own strengths lie and remembering where you started, where your foundation lies.

“If you go into a situation thinking you’re the best, you can be the best,” Potts says, when the topic turned towards the possible glass ceiling on the leadership ladder for women. “People will make that ceiling a crutch, but we can’t do that.”

Another thing is that the best decisions can be made when leaders are willing to step outside of what everyone else is saying—finding that voice and believing in their abilities to make a change can make the difference in being a leader. From there, you can start making those tough decisions and directing people to get there in the right way.

The panelists say leadership is defined by questioning the status quo, daring to have your voice heard, having a vision and seeing it through to the very end.

We’d like to know more about the leaders who have influenced your life. Please share your influencers in our comments section below.

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Lessons from 2012 ATHENA Gail Miller

Thursday, November 15th, 2012

 

Editor’s Note: This is the acceptance speech that 2012 ATHENA award recipient Gail Miller presented at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and Wells Fargo ATHENA Award Luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 15.

I am honored and flattered to be chosen to be the recipient of the prestigious ATHENA award.

Thank you very much for this opportunity to represent wonderful women in our communities.

Thank you to Lane Beattie and the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and to Wells Fargo for this lovely award.

Thank you to everyone who had a part in the selection process and for your confidence in me to represent the great women in the state of Utah. We really do have exceptional women here.

I’d like to tell you a little story about how I came to be a businesswoman—something I never planned on.

Thirty-three years ago on May 1, the Larry H. Miller Company opened its doors for business in Murray, Utah, with our first auto dealership.

Larry had just turned 35 years old. We had been married for 14 years. Eight and a half of those years had been spent living in Colorado away from our families. We had five children, ages 12, 10, seven, six and one-and-a-half.

Our story really starts with two young people in junior high school who met when they were twelve years old, started dating when they were 14 and married at 21.

We were both very independent and strong-willed by nature, but we were a good team and complimented each other’s strengths. Like many hopeful young couples we felt ready to conquer the world and were eager to give it our best effort.

After trying several jobs, six or seven, in the first five years of our marriage and not finding anything that really gave Larry a sense of accomplishment, we sold our home in Salt Lake, packed up our belongings, put the kids in the car and moved to Colorado not knowing exactly what the future held for us.

We actually encountered a lot of disappointments, a period of adjustment living so far away from our families and friends, and a lot of personal growth in the eight and a half years we lived there.

Larry was able to get a wonderful job working for Chuck Stevinson. Our family expanded from two children to five, and we were reactivated in our church. After struggling through the first year, we thought we had found our way and that we were set for life.

And then one day, after Larry had advanced up the ladder from parts manager to general manager to operations manager over five stores, Mr. Stevinson came to him and asked him to mentor some of his sons so they could learn the car business.

It was at that point he could see that the future for him would be very different than he had assumed it would be. He agreed to mentor Chuck’s sons, but also knew he had to find another way to support his family.

It was at that time he was able to make a deal with Hugh Gardner to buy a dealership in Murray, Utah, and we moved our family back home in August of 1979.

Larry set up the business as a partnership between us, with both of us owning 100 percent. He kept me in the loop on everything. I learned about all the different aspects of our business by listening to him talk about what was going on each day. He used me for a sounding board and valued my opinion. He “downloaded” business experiences to me daily and together we looked at property for expansion, dealership to buy and other adventures to pursue in the business world. When we bought the Utah Jazz, we discussed it until we came to the conclusion together that it was the right thing to do. Through the years, we were truly partners in everything we did.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized that I had received a pretty good education with regard to how business works. I had gained a lot of institutional knowledge over the years.

All of this and more is what prepared me to become a businesswoman. Only I never actually expected to become one. I liked being a wife ad a mother and having a supporting role in everything Larry did. He was good at being the face of our company and I was good at being in the background.

About a year and a half before he had his heart attack, he called our family together and handed us notebooks, telling us that we would want to take notes. We met together every week for a year and a half so he could formally transfer knowledge to our children about what they would need to know when the time came so the transition from him to the boys would be as seamless as possible after he was gone.

And then Larry’s health failed and after several painful months, he passed away.

Greg, our son, had been named CEO but because I am the owner, I became responsible for a $3.5 billion company.

I am a businesswoman today not because I chose to be one, but because I chose to continue the legacy that Larry and I started 33 years ago. I made a conscious decision that I would be the bridge from Larry to those who come after him until they were on firm ground. My institutional knowledge has come in handy. I have been involved from the beginning and even though our sons have been very good students as they were taught by Larry and have taken over the day-to-day operations of our company, I am still the foundation.

As long as I am able and have anything to say about the Larry H. Miller group of companies, I will continue to promote the values we were built on. I will continue our commitment to make the communities where we do business, better places to live and to work and to play.

I have found that business is fun. It’s exhilarating and fun at the same time. It’s also challenging, but many important life lessons are learned through business.

I would like to recap some of the ones that I find are most important to me.

1.   It’s okay to rely on a higher power. It’s not just okay; I believe that it’s necessary in today’s world.

2.   Don’t ever forget your roots—they are your values. It’s okay to have a big business but it’s not okay to act like you are better than everyone else.

3.   Treat your employees and your customers with respect—always. You are no better than anyone else.

4.   Give back—or to say it another way—pay it forward. No one makes it in this life alone.

5.   Be a student—learn something new everyday. The world is full of wonderful adventures and each one will add richness to your life. You can learn something from every interaction you have if you try.

6.   Teach everything good that you know to anyone who wants to listen. We must be teachers to perpetuate the knowledge we gain and help others to be successful. We are in this together and we need each other. Success begets success.

7.   By learning, teaching and applying correct principles, we become leaders. People are looking for good leaders. We need to cultivate good leadership.

8.   There are opportunities all around us to advance, grow and share our strengths. Never shun that opportunity.

9.   Share what you have with others, whether it’s your knowledge, your expertise, your service or your assets. We are all in this together.

10.   I believe our people are our most valuable asset. I have learned from all of you and stand in awe of the accomplishments of all the women in business in our state. You are smart, you are loyal, you are role models and you create good everywhere you go. Together we are laying the foundation for the paths our daughters will be able to take. Whether it’s in the business world, in the home, in the schools, in government or any other walk of life we choose, our daughters need to understand there is room for them in this big, beautiful world and we will help show them the way.

If I could leave you with one piece of advice it would be to remember this:

“The quality of your life will be in direct proportion to the quality of the decisions you make.”

In closing, I would like to especially acknowledge the women in my life. There have been many Athena-type women who have enriched me, taught me, mentored me and encouraged me from school teachers to church leaders, to women in business to college presidents. Thank you!

I am especially blessed with the women in my personal life. I was blessed to have had a wonderfully grounded, practical mother who taught me correct principles and let me govern myself. I have a kind and compassionate daughter who helps me to grow everyday. And I have beautiful, specially chosen daughters-in-law who complete our family and who I love as my own. I have exceptionally beautiful granddaughters. And now I also have some beautiful, welcoming new daughters from my new marriage that have accepted me as their new mother.

May you always make good decisions and experience the joy of success wherever you look for it.

May we all work together in inspire women everywhere to achieve their full potential and create balance in leadership here and around the world.

Thank you again, for this wonderful honor. I will always treasure it.

 

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2012 ATHENA: Gail Miller

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will honor Gail Miller, the 2012 ATHENA award recipient, and also five women as Pathfinders at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and Wells Fargo ATHENA Award Luncheon coming up this Thursday, Nov. 15. This is one in a series of posts highlighting our ATHENA & Pathfinder honorees. 

Be sure to follow the event on Twitter with the hashtag #slcwbc2012.

1. What is your role in your organization?

Larry and I were joint owners of our business.  In the beginning, starting in1979, everything was set up so that we both owned 100 percent of each business. In a passive role, I was the sounding board and confidant for Larry as he tackled the daily nuts and bolts of growing the business.  He shared everything with me at the end of the day in what I called a “download.” I was always fully informed and aware of the activity and progress of the business.  I was an officer in every entity that we had and my signature was required each time we purchased a new business. During this time, I naturally gained a lot of institutional knowledge.

As the business grew, I took a more active role.  However, my most active, important and demanding role was wife to Larry and mother to our five children. I provided a safe haven for Larry at the end of the day.

When the group of companies grew to such a large organization, Larry had to consider moving from an entrepreneurial type of management to a more traditional type.  He began a formal training program with our four boys and me.  In 2007, he gave us notebooks and said, “You are going to want to keep notes.”  That began a one and a half year process, in which he taught the basics of how our business was run, what important things to keep track of and who the key people in the business were to use as advisers.

Before he passed away in 2009, he told me he wanted me to stay involved with the business because I “had a lot of institutional knowledge.” He asked me to be  “the bridge” from him to our sons and other employees because I had been there from the beginning and could represent him. I am the owner, chairman of the advisory board and consult daily with Greg as he performs his role as CEO.  I attend major meetings, give advice and direct the financial and moral well being of this company.

2. What is the mission of your organization?

Our mission is to continuously exceed the expectations of our customers, employees and our community.

Our goal is to be the benchmark for excellence in every aspect of our business.  We will strive to deliver perfect service through uncompromising commitments to continuous improvement.

Our promise is to create an environment of mutual trust and respect to promote growth and personal freedom; to foster and renew teamwork and employee involvement; and to demand the highest ethical standard from ourselves and others.

We believe people are our most important resource and the foundation of our success.

To pursue our objective of “Serving Customers for Life” we are committed to being the acknowledged leader in our market for meeting the needs of our customers and employees.

We believe our commitment to this mission will make our dealerships a place where people want to work and do business.

In boiling all this down, Larry used to tell his employees:  ”Take care of the customer, make a little money and have a little fun!”

3. What is the key to the professional success you have achieved? 

The key to our professional success can be traced back to the work ethic and the creative instincts of my husband.  I learned everything I know about business from him.  He worked tirelessly to create a company that is outstanding and respected.  He shared his success with all of the people who helped his dreams come true.  He was dedicated to hard work, consistency, honesty and a desire to be the best we can everywhere we do business.  We also have the very best employees in the industry.  They are professional, dedicated individuals who take pride in what they do and are a very important part of the core fabric of who we are.

4. Who is your greatest professional influence?

My greatest professional influence was Larry Miller, my husband.  He taught me everything I know about business and included me as a partner in everything he did.  He taught me the importance of relationships, the importance of creating and keeping a very high quality in every aspect of business and he expected everyone around him to be just as good as he was.  He was always willing to teach, share and compete.  Every negotiation was a win-win proposition.  He was fair and honest in all his dealings—almost to a fault.  He would rather have a clear conscience than a heavy heart. The influence he had on me is incalculable.

5. How did you get into the field you work in?

From 1970 to 1979 we were living in Colorado and working for a dealership called Stevinson Toyota. Larry started out as a parts manager the Toyota dealership and worked his way up the ladder to Operations Manager over all five stores.  Mr. Stevinson had eight sons and five dealerships. In 1978 he announced that he wanted Larry to mentor his sons and to return to the Toyota store to do it.  There was no cut in pay but no chance for additional advancement with the sons coming into the business.  It was soon determined that we should pursue our options to start our own business.  On May 1, 1979 we bought our first dealership in Murray, Utah.  The evolution of how I got into this field of work is explained above.  When Larry died, I became the owner and it is my responsibility to maintain, preserve and grow the company.

6. What does it mean for you to be named an ATHENA?

In my mind, being chosen to be a ATHENA gives creditability to the values and standards that are important to my family and me.  It means that I will represent, in another significant way, the excellence, creativity and initiative in business that Larry and I have tried to implement from the beginning to improve the quality of life in our community, in our state and in the lives of our employees.  We believe that everyone who desires it should have the opportunity to advance as far as they can and we try to provide opportunities for all of our employees, men and women.

7. If you could sit down and talk to yourself at age 18, what advice would you give?

Being a young woman just embarking on adulthood is exciting and full of adventure.  Because my chosen path was altered at that age by the death of my father and the need to be at home to support younger siblings for awhile, it wasn’t until a few years later that I realized that each of us really does have control of the course our life takes, at least to the degree that we make correct choices.  I think the most important advice I have ever received is, “The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the quality of the decisions you make.”  I would like to be able to say that I have always used that advice but it wouldn’t be true.  However, I believe the advice is sound and that life is much better if you make deliberate, careful decisions whenever you are faced with the opportunity.

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To learn more about Gail Miller, 2012 ATHENA, click here.

To see the series of posts honoring 2012 Pathfinders, click here. 

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2012 Pathfinder: Molly Mazzolini

Tuesday, November 13th, 2012

The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will honor five women as Pathfinders at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and Wells Fargo ATHENA Award Luncheon coming up this Thursday, Nov. 15. This is one in a series of posts highlighting our ATHENA & Pathfinder honorees.

Be sure to follow the event on Twitter with the hashtag #slcwbc2012.

1. What is your role in your organization?

I am Partner and Director of Brand Integration for Infinite Scale and Managing Partner for Rescale.

2. What is the mission of your organization?

Infinite Scale is dedicated to being the clutch design consultancy for sports organizations seeking to create memorable experiences for all guests.

Rescale exists as a sustainability initiative to transform event materials into well-designed and durable products that represent this memory via one-of-kind items.

Together, these two companies are illustrative of a holistic movement for greater design appreciation and eco-conscious initiatives as our modern business practice.

3. What is the key to the professional success you have achieved?

In our studio, collaboration is a core value because the layers of input from each team member provides the best deliverables for the client. Collaboration also counts with our clients in that we can’t do our best work without them educating us about their teams, venues and values.

4. Who is your greatest professional influence?

My family members are my greatest professional influence. My mom and dad raised five children. I am the youngest by a double-digit gap from my next sibling. Growing up and even today, I am influenced by their personal and professional accomplishments. I also admire coaches and their wives. Collegiate coaches are stellar leaders whose original thoughts and actions drive student-athletes to greatness in the form of teamwork, discipline and, more importantly, well-rounded individuals upon graduation. The wife of a coach is a typically quiet role model who provides a major support system to a unique character of a coach and husband. I admire and learn from each of these individuals for their respective roles and contributions.

5. How did you get into the field you work in?

The majority of my professional career has been in the sports industry from Olympic Movements (both a summer and winter games) to collegiate athletics and now with many professional teams and organizations. This experience along with my personal passion for sports as a fan and participant is genuine, which allows me to see the power of this universal language.

6. What does it mean for you to be named a Pathfinder?

Shocker! I now understand the perspective of actors during the Oscars when they say that they can’t believe that they are selected with an amazing group of women and the many more hall of famers before us. [Dr. Sarah George] is a beloved client who, along with her stellar team, has been working tirelessly on building an icon in our community for a decade. [Dr. Vivian Lee] is a fresh transplant, bringing instant and great contributions (and I love seeing her and Benedict at camp dropping off our children each summer). And, I look forward to getting to know Susan Madsen and Debra Hoyt through this celebration.

And to think that the great women (and men) of the Salt Lake Chamber started this tradition – infinite thanks!

7. If you could sit down and talk to yourself at age 18, what advice would you give?

Don’t be afraid to talk sports with the boys.

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2012 Pathfinder: Dr. Susan Madsen

Monday, November 12th, 2012

The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will honor five women as Pathfinders at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and Wells Fargo ATHENA Award Luncheon coming up this Thursday, Nov. 15. This is one in a series of posts highlighting our ATHENA & Pathfinder honorees. 

Be sure to follow the event on Twitter with the hashtag #slcwbc2012.

1. What is your role in your organization?

I am the Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership and Ethics and a Professor of Management in the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University. In this role I have had the flexibility to do what I love. At UVU I have had a great deal of support for research and service around women and education as well as my women and leadership work. From my start at UVU in 2002, I was given opportunities to be involved in university strategy and key efforts. I became a change agent within the university early in my career at UVU and had many opportunities to make a difference with my students, colleagues, administrators and more.

2. What is the mission of your organization?

Utah Valley University is a teaching institution which provides opportunity, promotes student success and meets regional educational needs. UVU builds on a foundation of substantive scholarly and creative work to foster engaged learning. The university prepares professionally competent people of integrity who, as life-long learners and leaders, serve as stewards of a globally interdependent community.

3. What is the key to the professional success you have achieved? 

I believe my success has come from various elements. At a personal level, my abilities to work hard, be relentless in what I believe and want to accomplish, and think strategically and outside the box have added to my professional success. I believe there is always a way to get things done—you just need to be creative. However, even more important have been my relationships with others. I have been blessed with so many folks at UVU who have believed in me and provided opportunities for me to develop and contribute. These have included my two presidents (Sederburg and Holland), all of my Woodbury School of Business deans, and my department chairs. Others on campus in many roles have also given me opportunities and some senior leaders have coached me—words here and there—to help give me perspective and challenge me to think in different ways and consider various options. I have also been blessed with so much support from many leaders and volunteers in the community.

4. Who is your greatest professional influence?

As mentioned previously, I have had many individuals who influenced me profoundly throughout the years, but some of the influences in my early UVU years were probably the most profound in my professional development. I think President Bill Sederburg (UVU President for many years), Dean Jim Fenton (my first dean), Janice Gygi (associate dean for many years), Brad Cook (my first UVU Academic Vice President) all gave me some amazing opportunities to lead early in my career. They trusted my ideas and let me serve in key roles that were critical in my continued development. There are many others as well, but these are some of the initial people.

5. How did you get into the field you work in?

My bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees were all focused on various elements of developing people. I am VERY passionate about helping people become better in all ways. I have felt guided by a divine power through the years in my educational and career choices. I actually worked part-time for many years as I gave birth to and raised my four children through their early years. My parents were educators, and I have been an educator in my heart throughout the years. I started teaching piano lessons to children, youth and adults when I was 13 years old and have always felt joy in helping others develop and succeed.

I don’t like to teach just for the stake of teaching—I find joy in helping others truly develop skills, competencies and knowledge that will change them for the better in all areas of their lives. I put a lot of work into figuring out the focus of each of my degrees, and I have felt led from on high to do each one. When I moved to Utah, I knew I needed to be a professor (I had been teaching college for many years part-time) and knew it would lead to other opportunities. I had no idea exactly what this would lead to, but I had learned by then that you just move forward, work hard, do your best and take opportunities even if you don’t know exactly where things will end up!

6. What does it mean for you to be named a Pathfinder?

I am deeply honored being named a 2012 Pathfinder. This is an amazing recognition. I have read about the award winners for many years and am humbled to be given this recognition alongside women I greatly respect. I am particularly excited that those who made the decision to give me this award (Salt Lake Chamber and other community leaders) consider the work I have done with women and leadership, as well as Utah women and education, so important to Utah.

7. If you could sit down and talk to yourself at age 18, what advice would you give?

I would first advise her to get all of the college education she can—and to start immediately. I would tell her to get involved in all elements of college (e.g., classes, service, leadership, undergraduate research) as they are all so important in helping her develop herself in various ways. I would tell her to look beyond herself, and reach out to help develop her peers. I would suggest that she not be afraid to ask questions and find resources that may be helpful.

I would tell her that she is unique and has a unique blend of gifts that make her incredibly special. She shouldn’t think she is like so many others but that she can do things that no one else can do (I would tell this to anyone—not just myself). I would tell her to be herself, but to listen carefully to many others who have experience and insight. This will save her time, energy, and pain, if she will be open to the experience of others. She should take in all of this information and then seek divine help and go with what she feels is right.

I would tell her that she cannot do everything at the same time, but that she shouldn’t be nervous about getting married and having children. It will be the most difficult but rewarding thing in her life—most important too. I would remind her that she can integrate school with family and that she has more options than she will think. She can use her abilities and education in the community, church and in part-time work if she chooses—like I did. She needs to understand that she can create her own career path, and that can be different than everyone else in the world.

I would tell her not to beat herself up for not being like all of the other women around her, because God has a plan and she needs to embrace it and do the best she can. I would tell her to focus her life on making the world a better place through all of her life domains! I would also tell her to try to learn to enjoy domestic work more than I did—it would make some of the years a little easier if she likes to cook!

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To learn more about the 2012 Pathfinders, click here.

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2012 Pathfinder: Debra Hoyt

Friday, November 9th, 2012

The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will honor five women as Pathfinders at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and Wells Fargo ATHENA Award Luncheon coming up next Thursday, Nov. 15. This is one in a series of posts highlighting our ATHENA & Pathfinder honorees.

Be sure to follow the event on Twitter with the hashtag #slcwbc2012.

1. What is your role in your organization?

I am the Director of Corporate Giving and Government Relations for Questar Corporation. I am an officer of Questar’s three Foundations and manage those as well as our employee political action committee efforts. I also oversee our grassroots political involvement program.

2. What is the mission of your organization?

We are an integrated energy company that develops, produces and delivers clean energy in the heart of the Rockies.

3. What is the key to the professional success you have achieved? 

The key to my success is being positive, putting myself out there and taking advantage of opportunities come my way. Having the courage to try new things and being willing to volunteer, to become involved on many levels, has made the difference for me. But an element even more important than that is developing relationships–both internally and externally. For me, everything you do revolves around the interpersonal relationships you develop. I seek out those types of connections that are positive and make me a better person. In addition, I have high expectations of myself and am dedicated to putting in the time and energy it takes to have successful outcomes. It’s important to me to always follow through, to do what I say or have committed to do.

4. Who is your greatest professional influence?

My father. He was a amazing example of a strong work ethic and unending commitment. Over my career, many people have commented on my work ethic and a few have said that it is just not a natural part of my personality, but that I must have been taught in the home at an early age,what it meant to work hard and achieve positive results. I learned that from him and I will always be grateful for that influence in my life.

And currently, my greatest professional influences are the many dedicated people I work with and meet every day who are striving to do amazing things to strengthen our community. I work with such great people within Questar who teach me each and every day what it means to be effective and make a difference. And in the community I find the same–in other organizations and businesses, the nonprofit arena and the political world. I love what I do and feel honored to be able to collaborate and associate with those I am privileged to work with.

And I have to, without question, include my husband in this as well because he also embodies everything that is a positive influence for me professionally. He is just about the most dedicated person I know. He is a firefighter/paramedic for Layton City and a flight medic with Life Flight. He inspires me each and every day with his dedication and drive to make a difference and help those who are in need, whatever the reason or situation. He truly gives of himself to make life better for others.

5. How did you get into the field you work in?

I began my career with Questar Gas and then, after a few years, transferred to Questar Corporation to work in community affairs and government relations. I learned and was able to experience working in areas where so much of our outreach as a company happens, through our community/volunteer involvement as well as our political involvement. So I learned from the ground up. As people I worked with opted to retire, I was asked to assume areas of responsibility that I’m currently over. I had proven myself to be competent and able to handle those responsibilities in order to represent Questar in the many ways I have the opportunity to.

6. What does it mean for you to be named a Pathfinder?

I am truly humbled by this honor. I never in a million years saw myself receiving this type of award. To be honored for those things I love to do and be involved with is just icing on the cake, as they say. Because of the many things I’m so fortunate to be involved in with the support of Questar and my family, it simply just enhances all that is important to me and makes me a better person. To be included in this group of absolutely amazing women is beyond anything I could have imagined. But that is what I enjoy about my role in the community–I am able to connect with women who are true examples of what it means to achieve on so many levels in their lives and give back to the community through their strengths, talents and knowledge. What they all do helps us to be better–personally and professionally.

7. If you could sit down and talk to yourself at age 18, what advice would you give?

Take your education as far as you can. Be positive and look for the good in all people and experiences. Enjoy and embrace every opportunity that comes your way and make opportunities happen for you–don’t just sit back and wait. Instead seek them out and utilize your strengths and passions to create the kind of life you want to have. Life is a challenge, sometimes downright hard and very difficult, but it is also lined with so many good things and opportunities. Make the most of it and find what you love to do and be one hundred percent engaged in life–don’t let it pass you by. Live life moving forward rather than focusing on what has happened that you can’t change. What is done is done; learn from it and move on. And always remember to treat others as you would like to be treated–simple words, simple philosophy that carry great meaning.

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To learn more about the 2012 Pathfinders, click here.

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2012 Pathfinder: Dr. Vivian S. Lee

Thursday, November 8th, 2012

The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will honor five women as Pathfinders at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and Wells Fargo ATHENA Award Luncheon coming up next Thursday, Nov. 15. This is one in a series of posts highlighting our ATHENA & Pathfinder honorees.

Be sure to follow the event on Twitter with the hashtag #slcwbc2012.

1. What is your role in your organization?

I am the Senior Vice President of Health Sciences at the University of Utah, Dean of the School of Medicine, and CEO of University of Utah Health Care.

2. What is the mission of your organization?

The University of Utah Health Sciences Center serves the people of Utah and beyond by continually improving individual and community health as well as the quality of life. This is achieved through excellence in patient care, education, and research; each is vital to our mission and each makes the others stronger.

3. What is the key to the professional success you have achieved? 

For me, I believe it’s all about the joy of discovery. It’s a lesson I learned from my parents who instilled in me a love of learning. I’m a curious person and I think it’s that curiosity that drives me.

4. Who is your greatest professional influence?

I have many influences, especially my parents. In the arena of health care, Dr. Hal Belknap was my earliest influence. When I was just 12-years old, I shadowed Dr. Belknap at Norman Municipal Hospital in Norman, Oklahoma, my hometown. I watched him evaluate medical charts and test results, but what stuck with me the most is how he greeted each patient as he went into their rooms. He was always cheerful and personal. After shadowing him, I knew I wanted to work in health care.

5. How did you get into the field you work in?

I have always known that I wanted to work in science and health care, most likely academia given that both my parents are academics. I became very interested in MRI (my medical specialty is Radiology) because it bridges engineering and medicine in a rapidly changing and high impact way. I was pulled into administration by my Chair and later Dean, and at NYU was one of the six individuals who helped to run the school of medicine and clinical system. Training through NYU’s executive MBA program was superb preparation for my responsibilities as the inaugural vice dean for science at NYU’s Langone Medical Center. Serving on the leadership team of a large and dynamic, integrated academic medical center, I became fascinated by the challenges of health care and the need for reform. It was that passion that brought me to Utah.

6. What does it mean for you to be named a Pathfinder?

It’s truly an honor. I feel privileged to be selected and to join such a distinguished roster of honorees.

7. If you could sit down and talk to yourself at age 18, what advice would you give?

I would have advised myself to take a course in economics.

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To learn more about the 2012 Pathfinders, click here.

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2012 Pathfinder: Dr. Sarah B. George

Wednesday, November 7th, 2012

The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will honor five women as Pathfinders at the 36th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and Wells Fargo ATHENA Award Luncheon coming up next Thursday, Nov. 15. This is one in a series of posts highlighting our ATHENA & Pathfinder honorees.

Be sure to follow the event on Twitter with the hashtag #slcwbc2012.

1. What is your role in your organization?

Executive Director (i.e. facilitator, direction-setter, fund-raiser, cheerleader, and where-the-buck-stops) [of the Natural History Museum of Utah.]

2. What is the mission of your organization?

…to illuminate the natural world and the place of humans within it.

3. What is the key to the professional success you have achieved? 

There are several: having a great team of staff, board, and university administrators to work with; listening, conducting research, gathering opinions before making major decisions; while working toward a big vision, being open to new ideas, but never giving up.

4. Who is your greatest professional influence?

I’ve had amazing teachers and mentors along the way. My high school biology teacher, Mr. Martin, who encouraged me to pursue science. My college mammalogy professor, Dr. Murray Johnson, who gave me a work-study job in the museum at Puget Sound, got me to a professional meeting while still an undergraduate, and helped me get into graduate school. My graduate school mentors, Dr. Jerry Choate and Dr. Terry Yates, who encouraged my research. The three people I have worked for professionally, Dr. Dan Cohen in Los Angeles, and Dr. Jeri McIntyre and Dr. David Pershing, here at the University of Utah, who have always provided great advice and support for my work.

5. How did you get into the field you work in?

My high school biology teacher encouraged me to pursue science, which I had never considered doing. After taking mammalogy (mammal biology) as a sophomore in college, my professor hired me to work in the museum in the biology department, and I never looked back–I knew I had found my calling!

6. What does it mean for you to be named a Pathfinder?

It means a great deal. I grew up in a family of mostly women (single mother, three girls and one boy at the tail end) at a time when women couldn’t get loans without a husband or father’s signature. My mother was determined that we never would be in her position and did everything she could to get us through school. Now we all have graduate degrees, successful careers, and great families of our own, with her encouragement.

I have been involved in several programs over the years to encourage young women to stay in school and take science and math classes. So it is an incredible honor to be recognized for this as well as for my professional work. My success is because of my great husband, my family, my mentors, and my colleagues, and I hope I can help others to be just as successful.

7. If you could sit down and talk to yourself at age 18, what advice would you give?

Listen, observe, and never stop learning. Set your goals high and be willing to amend them. Don’t be afraid to seek partners and ask for help and advice.

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To learn more about the 2012 Pathfinders, click here.

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Nominations for Athena Award due soon

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

Every year, the Salt Lake Chamber presents the Athena International Business Leader of the Year Award to an individual involved with the Chamber  who demonstrates excellence, creativity and initiative in business, provides valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and assists women in reaching their full leadership potential.

If you know of someone who fits that criteria, we encourage you to submit an Athena Nomination Form and tell us about this individual or business. The Women & Business Pathfinder Awards will also be selected from those nominations. The due date for submitting nominations is Monday, July 6.

The recipients of the 2012 Athena and Pathfinder wards will be recognized during the Athena Award Luncheon, sponsored by Wells Fargo, which is set to take place on November 8. This luncheon is held in conjunction with the Salt Lake Chamber’s Women & Business Conference sponsored by American Express.

Last year, Beverley Taylor Sorenson received the Athena award for her long-held commitment to education and the arts.

“One of the greatest joys in my life is to see young children as they discover who they are and find ways to unlock the potential they have inside them, which is reward enough in itself,” said Sorenson. “I am truly honored and humbled to receive this award from the Salt Lake Chamber. Giving back has long been a focus of mine and of my family, and I am blessed to be in a position to be able to help and better the communities that have been so good to me and my family over the years.”

The Athena Award was established by Martha Mertz in 1982 in an effort to recognize women for their contributions to Chambers of Commerce worldwide.

Again, the due date for nominations is on Monday, July 6. Click here to fill out a nomination form.

If you have questions about the nomination process, please contact Jackie Sexton at 801.328.5053 or email jsexton@slchamber.com.

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Women’s Business Center celebrates 14th anniversary

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

Last week, on November 24th, while we all took some time off to celebrate Thanksgiving, we also marked the 14th anniversary of the Women’s Business Center.

Over those 14 years, the Women’s Business Center has provided counseling, training and encouragement to thousands of women.

In just the past year, the Women’s Business Center has provided over 160 hours of training to nearly 16-hundred people. These trainings focus on six core areas: marketing, finance, business plan development, sales, management and procurement.

A total of 250 clients received over 600 hundred total hours of free one-on-one consulting and one in every five people who get business help from the Women’s Business Center are socio-economically challenged. Most impressively, this effort has resulted in 15 new business start-ups and 22 jobs created and we’ll take as much of that as we can get.

Those numbers are impressive. But they mean more than what is often reflected in statistics. Each of those numbers represents an individual who took a risk, who stepped out of a comfort zone, who pursued a dream.

Some gave it their all but didn’t find success. Some succeeded. Some continue to thrive.

It has been said, “There is no excellence without labor. One cannot dream oneself into either usefulness or happiness.”

The Women’s Business Center, led by Pam Okumura and her team, Ann Marie Thompson and Mariam Paul, helps dreamers become entrepreneurs. Those entrepreneurs make Utah’s economy one of the strongest in the nation.

We want to thank everyone who has provided support for this great program.

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