Member News

ABWA Niagara Falls Chapter would like to introduce the 2010-2011 Executive Board!

Amy Christieson will serve as President for the coming year. She is the owner of Benefit Brokers of WNY, LLC. Amy holds a NY State LAH (Life, Accident and Health) license and is a certified Group Benefit Disability Specialist (GBDS). She started in the insurance industry 16 years ago, and specializes in providing customized employee benefit programs to companies of all sizes.  Amy’s firm also offers individual insurance products as well as, human resource and payroll solutions. Besides her role in the ABWA Niagara Falls Charter Chapter, Amy is a member of the Niagara USA Chamber and the founder of the CONNECT Networking Group. Amy resides in Youngstown with her husband Paul and son Keegan.

Kathleen Kline will serve as Vice President for the coming year. She is owner of “Pearls with a Twist”, a jewelry business offering fresh water pearls imported from China, and is certified in pearls from the American Institute of America (NYC).  Kathy also offers restringing of pearls and custom designs.  She started the business after 20 years as Assistant Vice President for HSBC Bank, USA, along with 17 years management experience with a Federated department store and Tops Market.  Areas of expertise include leadership and management, sales, customer relations, business planning, and communication. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from D’Youville College.

Kari Walck is beginning her second term as Secretary for the ABWA Niagara Falls Charter Chapter. She is an account clerk for the City of Niagara Falls and is employed at Niagara Falls City Court. She holds a degree in Communications and Media Arts with a minor in Science. Kari’s area of work expertise involves marketing, public relations, and promotions. Kari has been a member of the chapter going on five years and has served as chair in numerous committees. In 2009 and 2010 she received the Top 5 Business Women of the Year award. Kari likes to spend her spare time helping with charities and resides in Lasalle with her boyfriend Rob and son Robbie

Deborah Seufert is beginning her second year as Treasurer and has been a member of ABWA Niagara Falls Charter Chapter since November 2005. She has served on several committees including Education, 2008 Spring Conference Committee and many Chinese Auction committees as well as having served as chapter Secretary for two years. She is a secondary teacher and presently works as a substitute teacher for the North Tonawanda and Niagara Wheatfield school systems. She owns Debi’s Darling Dolls and designs and sells items for children and the home. She and her husband of 36-years, Jim, have two grown sons – Chris and Jeff.

Click here to read our September 2010 Newsletter. Thank you to new member Victoris Sturman for doing a great job with this issue! Thank you to past Newsletter Chair Michele Altman for some great issues last year!

Thank you to our sponsors…

• Center of Renewal
• Benefit Brokers of WNY
• Three Sisters Trading Post
• Voyage By Design
• Swimwear on the Go
• Pi Pastry Shop
• Debi’s Darling Dolls
• JKA Custom Computers

Click here to view our June 2010 newsletter. Great job Michele Altman!! We look forward to another newsletter in September!

Thank you to the following sponsors…

• Center of Renewal
• Benefit Brokers of WNY
• JKA Custom Computers
• Three Sisters Trading Post
• Debi’s Darling Dolls
• Voyage By Design
• Pi Pastry Shop
• Swimwear on the Go

Click here to view our June Celebration invitation! Our Entertainment for the night will be provided by Uptown Entertainment and Events. Visit their website www.funline.com or facebook page at Facebook.com/uptown. Family Feud and music, so much fun!!   

We are offering vendor tables free of charge for members and $20.00 for guest vendors. Please email Kari at yankeekari@live.com to reserve your table or buy tickets. Hurry, space is limited!

ABWA President Wendy Adams (left) presents 2010 scholarship winner Nancy Askins with a $2000.00 check. Here is some information on Nancy and by reading it you can see why our choice was clear!

1. PRIOR DEGREES: University of Cincinnati. Earned B.S. Home Economics (1970), B.S. Education (1971), Master of Education in Student Personnel Services & Guidance with concentration in Group & Interpersonal Communications. (1972) Also earned a Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Training Online from Capella University (2004).

2. DOCTORAL STUDIES: Previously matriculated in doctoral programs since late 1970’s at University of Buffalo, Temple University, and Walden University. Currently a doctoral candidate at Capella University completing Ph.D. in Education: Training & Performance Improvement. Presently in the dissertation phase of the program; dissertation research focuses on how organizational core values impact managerial behavior.

3. GRADE POINT AVERAGE: Maintained 4.00 GPA for all academic courses in Ph.D. program.

4. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION: American Society of Quality (ASQ) Certified Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE)

5. BRIEF CAREER BACKGROUND: Currently Executive Director, Center of Renewal Retreat & Conference Center at Stella Niagara, including serving as contract-based master trainer and facilitator specializing in leadership and organizational development; workplace relationships and DiSC behavioral style coaching; and Baldrige-based training and coaching for area organizations.

Over 25 years prior experience as a mid- and senior-level training and performance improvement professional in healthcare, higher education, hospitality, financial services, and independent consulting and seminar leader nationwide.

Biography listed in “Who’s Who in America”, “Who’s Who in Finance & Industry”, “Who’s Who of American Women”, and “Who’s Who in the World”. Formerly served on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Examiners for 3 years, plus examiner and state judge for multiple national and state quality awards including the President’s Quality Award in 2000.

6. CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL INVOLVEMENT:

a. American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) Niagara Charter Chapter: Programs & Professional Development Chair 2009-2010 (member since April 2009)
b. Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce: Board of Directors (2010-2012)
c. Leadership Niagara: Class of 2004 (Scholarship Chair); Program Committee (2008-present); session facilitator.
d. American Society for Training & Development (former local president and national industry groups chair)
e. American Society of Quality (Education Committee; faculty for Buffalo-area CMQ/OE certification examination preparation course)
f. Girl Scouts of the USA (lifetime member; adult trainer)
g. Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce
h. Niagara Frontier Industry-Education Council
i. Business & Professional Women / USA (former national leadership chair and state president)

7. PERSONAL COMMENT ABOUT ABWA SCHOLARSHIP:

“It is with genuine pride and true humility that I accept the ABWA SBMEF Scholarship this year from the Niagara Falls Charter Chapter of ABWA. As a non-traditional student with a long-standing career goal of earning my Ph.D., this scholarship will greatly help with current tuition expenses. In addition, being selected provides me with the ongoing support of my fellow ABWA members who helpfully encourage me on my research. It is my hope that the results of my dissertation will provide valuable insights in the future for companies to successfully implement core values throughout all levels of their organizations, thereby increasing overall performance excellence within their firms. Many thanks to ABWA both locally and nationally for offering this scholarship program.”

Click here to view our May newsletter!

Thank you to Michele Altman for another terrific newsletter!

Thank you to our following sponsors..

• Center of Renewal
• Benefit Brokers of WNY
• JKA Custom Computers
• Three Sisters Trading Post
• Debi’s Darling Dolls
• Voyage by Design
• Pi Pastry Shop
• Swimwear on the Go

Click the link below to read our April 2010 newsletter. Thanks again Newsletter Chair Michele Altman for another great issue!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29430409/April-2010-Newsletter-PDF

Another big thank you to our sponsors:

Center of Renewal

JKA Custom Computers

Three Sisters Trading Post

Debi’s Darling Dolls

Pi Pastry Shop

Swimwear on the Go

#5: Wednesday, May 19, 2010

“Maximizing Creativity for Motivated Performance”

Are you and your team making the most of your intellect and creativity? How motivated are you and your team to excel at work? Enjoy this series of interactive exercises demonstrating how a climate of creativity and positive motivation can enhance personal and organizational performance. Learn techniques to apply on-the-job to improve results while impacting attitudes in today’s workplace. (This final session in the 2010 Winter-Spring ABWA-N.U. Speaker Series will also link key highlights of all prior sessions.)

Presenter: Nancy P. Askins, M.Ed., CMQ/OE
Nancy P. Askins is an American Society for Quality (ASQ) Certified Manager of Quality in Organizational Excellence with over 30 years of successful multi-industry leadership and consulting experience. She is currently Executive Director of the Center of Renewal Retreat & Conference Center at Stella Niagara, NY where she also serves as a master trainer and certified facilitator helping area organizations excel through a myriad of values-based services: organizational and leadership development, workplace relationships and teams, Baldrige-based performance excellence, strategic planning (driven by customized core values-purpose-mission-vision statements), DiSC™ Personal Style Profile System; conflict resolution; customer relations; attitudes-behaviors-communications; and more. Askins also authors POSITIVE WORKS! which is a periodic Niagara Gazette Sunday business column. A multi-degree graduate of the University of Cincinnati, her current doctoral research focuses on the impact of organizational core values on managerial behavior.

For further information, contact Nancy P. Askins (754-7376, ext. 3)

Click here to read an amazing article the Buffalo News wrote on our chapter!

 And here is Member Linda Rafferty is showing off some of our silent auction items for our upcoming Chinese Auction! You can visit www.nbn7900.com to see her interview!

Click the link below to view our newsletter. Thank you Newsletter Chair Michele Altman for another fantastic newsletter!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/27888264