The Women|Future Conference is today launching the Speaker Resources Webpage, an evolving virtual hub of books, videos, podcasts, online workshops, and more which have been published by 2020 Women|Future Conference speakers.

With speakers from multiple industries and fields of thought, we wanted to create a place outside of the conference platform where the public could access resources written and created by our inspiring speakers. Just like our conference sessions, topics on the Speaker Resources Webpage range from career advice to self-help, finance, branding, diversity & inclusion, entrepreneurship, and human resources.

We hope you enjoy these free and invaluable resources. Please feel free to use and share them however you choose; the mission of the Women|Future Conference is about supporting and learning from other women in business, and this resource list does just that!

The Women|Future Conference is made up of 100+ transformative women speakers from around the world including notable CEOs, Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Executives from AT&T Business, Amazon, Girl Scouts of the USA, Deloitte, Cisco, Microsoft, Roku, HCL, PayPal, and more. The conference brings together women professionals from all industries for 2 days of inspiration and learning from November 12-13, 2020. 

Pre-conference sessions kick off this Monday, November 9, 2020. Current registrants have already started building their event schedules, filling out their profiles on the virtual platform, and connecting with attendees and speakers who share similar interests. It's not too late to join them and register! 

Save 10% when you register three or more people together. Students can attend the Women|Future Conference at half-price ($49 compared to the general admission ticket price of $99).

Thank you to our Sponsors, Advertisers and Partners

We are proud to partner with the following publications and organizations that give a voice to women entrepreneurs and leaders.

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Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities

Ruslana Milikhiker, Conference & Event Manager

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Conference Marketing and PR 

Nina Moore, Marketing Manager

Nina@stevieawards.com

 

There are less than three weeks left until the 2020 Women|Future Conference, happening virtually November 12-13. Below are a few recent announcements and updates to the agenda, which now consists of 108 speakers and 35 sessions!

1. Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition Finalists Announced

New for 2020, the Women|Future Conference launched a 'Shark Tank'-style Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition for organizations run by women and founded in November 2017 or later. 70+ incredible businesses applied, and 10 finalists were selected to compete for a chance to win funding for their business. A mix of industries make up the list of finalists including food and wellness products, e-learning, computer software solutions, online media, and clothing with a cause. The finalists and their websites can be viewed here.

2. Three Days of Pre-Conference Sessions Added to the Agenda

Our conference is packed with content, inspiration, motivation and global networking. Three additional days of pre-conference sessions were recently added to the agenda, each of which is focused on a theme corresponding to that day of the week; Motivational Monday, GratitTuesday, and Women-Owned Business Wednesday! The schedule is in Eastern Standard Time.

November 9, Motivational Monday

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm Overcoming Personal Adversity

November 10, GratiTuesday

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm Disrupt the Imposter Syndrome; Let the Real You Shine Through!

3:30 pm- 4:30 pm Competent but Not Confident: Scientifically Why So Many Women Limit Their Own Potential - and Everyone Else’s

November 11, Women-Owned Business Wednesday

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm Your Next Act: The Move From Corporate to Entrepreneurship

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm Challenging Stigmas and Changing Lives: Everything You Need To Know About CBD

4:00 pm - 5:15 pm Successful & Sustainable: Triple Bottom Line Businesses

3. Our Keynote speaker is Anne Chow, CEO of AT&T Business

Anne Chow, Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Business, is the keynote speaker for the 2020 Women|Future Conference. She and her organization of over 30,000 employees are responsible for serving nearly 3 million business customers in upwards of 200 countries and territories around the world. Anne will kick off the conference on Thursday, November 12 at 8:00 am, EST. Her session is titled “Today’s Leadership, Tomorrow’s Future.” She will discuss how Covid-19 is changing life as we know it - how we work, how we live, and how we communicate, as well as leadership lessons from 2020 and her view of leading into the future.

4. Our Featured Speaker is Judith Batty, Interim CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA

Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Save 10% when you register three or more people together. Students can attend the Women|Future Conference at half-price ($49 compared to the general admission ticket price of $99).

Thank you to our Sponsors, Advertisers and Partners

We are proud to partner with the following publications and organizations that give a voice to women entrepreneurs and leaders. If you know an organization that aligns with the Women|Future Conference mission of supporting women, let them know about our event! To request info on sponsoring, fill out this form.

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Questions about the Conference?

Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities

Ruslana Milikhiker, Conference & Event Manager

Ruslana@stevieawards.com

 

Conference Marketing and PR 

Nina Moore, Marketing Manager

Nina@stevieawards.com

 

Do you or someone you know own a women-run business founded in November 2017 or later? Enter the 2020 Women|Future Conference Business Pitch Competition for a chance to win funding! 💸 The Women|Future Conference has added this competition as a new feature to the two-day virtual event happening November 12-13, 2020. It is an opportunity for women-owned businesses and female entrepreneurs who are navigating the startup phase of their business endeavors to receive funding -- think of it as a 'Shark Tank' for female business owners. 

If selected, finalists will be asked to record a three-minute pitch about their product/service, business model, and target market. Submissions will be reviewed by the Women|Future Conference team and final pitches will be judged by a panel of female venture capitalists and conference attendees during our virtual event on November 13, 2020. There will be three winners, each of which will receive a monetary prize.

There are still sponsorship opportunities available which go toward funding the pitch competition. If your organization is interested in sponsoring, email Ruslana@stevieawards.com or visit our sponsorship and advertising page to request information.

The Women|Future Conference agenda features virtual sessions, panels, and workshops that address today’s trending topics and current issues in areas such as technology, sustainability, career and financial planning, diversity in the workplace, leadership, crisis management, and more. The conference is made up of 100 transformative women speakers from around the world including notable CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, and executives from AT&T Business, Amazon, Girl Scouts of the USA, Deloitte, HCL, Cisco, Microsoft, Roku, PayPal and more. View the speaker lineup.

In the spirit of back to school season, we recently announced that students can attend the Women|Future Conference at half-price (that's just $49 compared to the regular ticket price of $99!) Many Women|Future Conference speakers will discuss topics relevant to young women who have just entered the workforce, or are thinking about their future careers.

If you know a student who is an aspiring business owner, or would love to hear from female entrepreneurs, founders, and executives in diverse industries, let her know about this incredible opportunity! Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Save 10% when you register three or more people together.

👍Get Social With the Women|Future Conference 

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LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Questions about the Conference?

Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities

Ruslana Milikhiker, Conference & Event Manager

Ruslana@stevieawards.com

 

Conference Marketing and PR 

Nina Moore, Marketing Manager

Nina@stevieawards.com

 

We are excited to announce the 2020 Women|Future Conference opening Keynote Speaker - Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Business, Anne Chow!

Anne will kick off our conference on Thursday, November 12 at 8:00 am, EST. Her session is titled “Today’s Leadership, Tomorrow’s Future.” She will discuss how COVID-19 is changing life as we know it - how we work, how we live, and how we communicate. As leaders we must be mindful of our current environment, which is now marked by a global pandemic, economic recession, and social injustices, but we must also simultaneously drive forward and build a better tomorrow. Anne will be discussing leadership lessons from 2020 and her view of leading into the future.

With decades in the industry, Anne has led many global organizations through major transformations, developing and executing innovative growth strategies while building role model relationships. She's passionate about education, diversity and inclusion, advancing women in technology and cultivating next generation leaders.

Anne was appointed Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Business in September 2019. She and her organization of over 30,000 employees are responsible for serving nearly 3 million business customers in upwards of 200 countries and territories around the world. She is the first woman to hold this position and first woman of color CEO in AT&T’s history!

Anne is speaking among 100 talented, transformative women leaders from around the world. The Women|Future Conference agenda features virtual sessions, panels, and workshops that address today’s trending topics and current issues in areas such as technology, sustainability, career and financial planning, diversity in the workplace, leadership, crisis management, and much more. Our speakers are a diverse mix of female CEOs, Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Senior Management and Directors from Amazon, Cisco, Deloitte, Microsoft, Girl Scouts of the USA, HCL, Roku, PayPal and more. View the full speaker lineup.

Women|Future Conference Sessions Include:

• Business Chemistry! Using Science to Improve the Art of Relationships Workshop by Deloitte
• Overcoming Personal Adversity
• Conquer Crisis. Train Like a Triathlete. Body + Mind + Business
• Balancing Motherhood + Business: for "Mompreneurs" and Working Moms
• Financial Wellness: Your Relationship with Money
• Diversity & Inclusion: The Importance in Your Workplace
• Building Your Dream Network for Introverts
• Competent but Not Confident: Scientifically Why So Many Women Limit Their Own Potential - and Everyone Else’s
• Redefining Success in the New Normal: Knowing What You Want, Why You Deserve it, and How to Get it
• Disrupt the Imposter Syndrome; Let the Real You Shine Through!
• Women Driving the Future of Tech: How AI, VR, and Robotics Will Be the Norm
• Create Joy in Your Career on Your Own Terms
    ...and many more

Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Take advantage of the $49 student special, $99 general registration, and save 10% when you register three or more people together.

 

👍Get Social With the Women|Future Conference 

Instagram 

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

 

Questions about the Conference?

Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities

Ruslana Milikhiker, Conference & Event Manager

Ruslana@stevieawards.com

 

Conference Marketing and PR 

Nina Moore, Marketing Manager

Nina@stevieawards.com

 

There is a tech side to just about every industry, including fashion. It goes beyond purchasing a new favorite sweater on Amazon. Today, you can scroll through Instagram, click on a photo, zoom in to see a product, and buy it with one click.

AI technology is even finding its way into traditional store shopping. You can go to a store and take a picture of a shirt, pants, or a jacket—and using one of several apps, such as Kim Kardashian’s Screenshop app, you can upload the picture and find similar styles and products all over the world. There are even avatar-based apps, such as Dressing Room, that allow individuals to try on clothing virtually. When ready, you can pay for the item with Apple Pay, which is located in your smartphone’s digital wallet.

Like any industry, the bottom line drives fashion-related businesses, and technological advances are constantly challenging that bottom line. However, the data points collected from searches and purchases are narrowing the gap between product supply and demand, meaning product numbers are more accurate, and fewer materials are wasted. Data are also helping companies predict trends and provide products their customers actually like and want.

As with most business verticals, the fashion industry maintains wholesale production intermediaries. JOOR is one of those companies leading the digital wholesale charge, using analytics within the fashion vertical. Their digital platform connects buyers and sellers online, helping buyers save time and cut costs and leading sellers to better analyze the performance of their inventory.

The company’s model embraces the global shift to mobile-first access and capitalizes on the ease and convenience of streaming handheld devices. Digitizing streamlines the fashion buyer’s process, and as is typically the case when digital technology is implemented, this reduces errors and saves time. The success of JOOR was recognized with a Stevie® Award in Best New Software Product or Service Category.

JOOR was founded in 2010 and is based in New York City, New York, United States. CEO Kristin Savilia is at the helm. She came on board in March 2017 and brought with her 18 years of retail experience and over five years in e-commerce with XO Group (the parent company of popular websites The Bump, The Nest, and The Knot). Even in the hustle and bustle of a technology-driven fashion industry, Savilia—a proactive mother of four—strives for a positive work-life balance.

While she helped lead JOOR to the head of the fashion AI and VR app curve, more technological changes are on the horizon. NextWeb reports the world is ready for the Internet of Things (IoT).

“Apparel items will have digital capabilities that open communication between retailer and customer, such as NADI X, yoga pants with built-in sensors that guide users into alignment by vibrating as they move through the various yoga poses. This example and other IoT apparel items interact with the user to collect data that help retailers understand the needs and concerns of buyers, and then companies can implement solutions to create a more personalized experience.”

In this landscape, individuals will be able to interact with businesses through their yoga pants, informing the companies that made them what they liked best and least. This will allow the companies to make more of those kinds of pants or to offer improved versions, depending on feedback.

That is technology and fashion coming full circle. Try clothes on a virtual reality avatar, search AI apps for any and all styles you like, and then communicate with the product and company directly using the IoT. Companies analyze the data, and the technological personalization and product customization cycle evolves.

In the long run, this seems cost effective and efficient while reducing waste—but it remains to be seen if consumers want to wear yoga pants and other products with AI sensors. Many consumers, however, already talk to Siri (Apple) and Alexa (Amazon), so it might not be too long before this is the product norm.

As recently as 2014, just about everyone (other than Julianne Ponan) doubted her fledgling health food brand would survive—let alone find widespread distribution throughout Europe.

As the owner of Creative Nature, a UK-based company specializing in allergy-friendly vegan snacks and baking mixes, Ponan staked her fortunes on a crowdsourcing effort aimed at raising £150,000 of capital. However, the attempt to capture investors fell well short of the mark.

The failed fundraising campaign was the latest in a series of setbacks for the company, which was losing money at a fast clip. Three years earlier, a 22-year-old Ponan, then working as a financial analyst, was brought in to diagnose why Creative Nature was operating in the red.

At the time, the company marketed a wide range of products, from home goods to natural food products. The latter gave Ponan hope. After all, she knew firsthand the importance of a carefully selected diet. The entrepreneur suffers from multiple food allergies to this day and survived two acute cases of pancreatitis as a young girl.

Ponan says doctors gave her four hours to live after diagnosing the first case of pancreatitis when she was nine. She lived, but it resurfaced at 17, when physicians gave her just a few short years to live.

“After beating it a second time, it still wasn’t smooth sailing,” she recalls. “I contracted pneumonia in my first year at Creative Nature.”

She ended up executing a management buyout of the London, England–area business in 2012, with the goal of growing the superfood segment. It wasn’t just her personal experience she banked on, though. She also saw the continent’s rising obesity levels and the increased prevalence of food allergies as proof this niche market was poised for growth.

The number of Europeans who suffer from chronic allergies tops 150 million, according to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The group estimates half of the entire EU populace will be impacted by 2025.

“I took over Creative Nature to cater to people like me—people who want healthier snacks without the nasty additives,” she says.

Company Gets Its Big Break

With her business partner, Matthew Ford, the company started focusing on snack bars and baking mixes that were free from 14 of the most common food allergens.

“Most ‘healthy’ snack companies insist on filling their products with tree nuts, peanuts, and seeds, which completely ignores a whole consumer base of allergy sufferers,” Ponan says.

When the crowdsourcing plan turned south and it looked as if the whole enterprise might be a flop, the breakthrough finally came. Creative Nature captured the interest of a buyer at Tesco, a major UK supermarket chain. Virtually overnight, it seemed as if the company’s fortunes were turning around. Still, one major hurdle remained.

“Tesco wanted all our new packaging for launch in just four weeks. This normally would have taken eight weeks to produce,” she says. “Instead of telling them we couldn't launch, we bought self-adhesive labels and spent three weeks hand-labeling around 10,000 tubs—all while continuing to run the rest of the business.”

As it turned out, the two-person team made the launch and used the deal as a platform to propel themselves into more supermarkets. Today, the company, which now has six full-time employees, is stocked in more than 15 countries, including Switzerland and Denmark.

Because of the organization’s compelling turnaround, Ponan earned the Silver Stevie® Award for Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year.

“I’ve known about these awards since starting the business, always dreaming one day I would be able to win one,” she says. “I managed to walk away with a Silver Stevie, so I’m incredibly proud.”

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world’s premier business awards programs, has issued the call for entries for its 2018 (15^th annual) Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Entry kits and complete details on the competition are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/Women.

The awards are produced by the creators of the prestigious American Business Awards® and International Business Awards®.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor the achievements of working women in more than 90 categories, including Entrepreneur of the Year, Executive of the Year, Mentor or Coach of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Achievement in Equal Pay, Women Helping Women, Employee of the Year, Woman-Owned or -Run Company of the Year and Innovator of the Year. All female entrepreneurs, executives, employees and the organizations they run, worldwide, are eligible to be nominated.

The final entry deadline is August 22, but late entries will be accepted through September 28 with payment of a late fee. Finalists will be announced on October 4, and the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie winners will be revealed at a gala awards dinner at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York on November 16, 2018.    

Most categories require the payment of an entry fee for the submission of a nomination, but several categories require no fee, including most of those honoring women in the non-profit and governmental sectors, Female Employee of the Year and the Startup of the Year categories.

Marty Stanley, President of Dynamic Dialog and a 2017 Silver Stevie winner, said of her win: “Winning a Stevie Award is really fabulous because 18 years ago I left the corporate world to start out on my own, and I wanted to start coaching. People would ask me “Can you really make a living doing that?” so receiving the Stevie Award for Executive Coaching and Coach of the Year is testament to my personal success. The Stevie Awards raise the bar for every industry so women can keep making a difference in all organizations.”

Other winners of the 2017 Stevie Awards for Women in Business included, among others: 

• Amy Tiller, Co-Founder and President of Growth, Inspired Results, Portland OR, USA
• Inga Hlin Palsdottir, Director of Visit Iceland and Creative industries, Promote Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
• Marsha Couch, CFO, Creating Lodging Solutions, Lexington KY, USA
• Kerry Small, Head of Customer Service Operations, Vodafone PLC Group Enterprise, Newbury, United Kingdom
• June Howards, SVP Financial Services and Chief Accounting Officer, Aflac, Columbus, GA USA
• Galileo Research and Strategy Consultancy, New York, NY USA
• Simple Mills, Chicago, IL USA
• Tavuu Welfare Associate, Karachi, Pakistan
• She Prosperity, Auckland, New Zealand
• Sari Bari Private Limited, Kolkata, India
• Microsoft, Redmond, WA USA
• Travelzoo, New York, NY USA

The 2017 Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners reflected a diverse group of large and small organizations around the globe. The 2018 Stevie Awards for Women in Business will be judged by more than 200 leading professionals around the world, and nominees will have access to all of the judges’ comments and suggestions about their nominations: an invaluable resource.

The 2018 (16th annual) American Business Awards® - the U.S.A's top honors open to all organizations operating in the U.S.A., and feature a wide variety of categories to recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace- will be presented this Monday, June 11 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.  More than 650 nominees and their guests will attend to be presented with their Grand, Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Awards.

The presentations will be broadcast live, beginning at 6:45 pm ET.

Here are the organizations that as of this writing will be represented at the event on Monday:

3Dazer
4Life Research
A.wordsmith
ACES
Advance Financial
Aflac
AIG US Life
Allianz Global Assistance
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
Allscripts
Anthem Foundation
Aragon Advertising
Arise Virtual Solutions Inc.
ArmadaCare
ASG Technologies
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
Asure Software
Avasant
AXA
Barclays
BD
Best Western Hotels & Resorts
BetterAir
BGRS
BIA
Blis
Bloomberg Environment
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
BluePay Processing
BlueToad Inc.
botkeeper
Brightstar Corp.
Brillio
Burst
Cathy Turney
Century Business Solutions
Church & Dwight
Cigna
Cisco
Citi
CityOf.com
Clevens Face and Body Specialists
Company
Concentrix
Condeco
Constant Contact Waltham MA
CoverMyMeds
Create Health Plans
Cruise Planners an American Express Travel Representative
Cummins
Cytellix
Davies
Deloitte
Delta Dental of California
DGC International
DHL
Diligent Corporation
DirecTv
Dow Jones
DraftKings
Dynamic Blending
Eff Creative Group
Emory University
Entercom
EpiFinder
Estee Lauder
Evergage
Fidelity Investments
FIS
Fiserv
FlightScope
ForeverCar
Formativ Health
Foxwoods Resort Casino
Geisinger Health
Generali Global Assistance
George P. Johnson
GL group
Globalization Partners
Glossive Technologies
GN Hearing
Gorilla Safety
GREAT WINE Inc.
Gregory FCA
GuideWell Connect
Hannaford Supermarkets
HCL America Inc. - Ritesh Jain
Health4TheWorld
Heraeus Incorporated
Hire For Hope LLC
HMS
HomeServe USA
IGEL
Ignite Sales
IGT
InfinityQS International
Information Builders
Intel Corporation
International SOS
Invesco
ISG
Jefferson County in Golden CO
John Hancock Financial Services
JVZoo
Karmic Labs Inc.
Keriton
LanguageLine Solutions
Lightcast.com
Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions
Lycored
Makers Nutrition
Makovsky
Marriott International
MDwise
Mercedes-Benz USA
Merck
Meritor
Merkle
MetTel
MONAT Global
Motus
Movember Foundation
Mphasis
NBCU
nCino
NFL Player Benefits Office
Nutrisystem
Oncor Electric
OptumCare Operations
Outreach Process Partners LLC
Pacific Expeditors
PAIRELATIONS LLC
PAN Communications
Panasonic Automotive
Panda Restaurant Group
Parkmobile
Paychex Inc.
Port It Global Inc
Primrose Schools
Progrexion
Public Employees' Benefits Program
QLess Inc.
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems
RB
Realtor.com
Relic
Revenue Optimization Companies, The
Roth Staffing Companies L.P.
Safeguard Business Systems Inc. Dallas TX
SamsonPR
Scaffidi Restaurant Group
SCAN Healthplan
Scott Hospes
Shade Tree Auto
Sharpen Technologies
Social Finance Inc
SoftPro
Soleo Health
Spark
SparkPR
Spartan Invest
State Street Corp
Sterling Staffing Solutions
STYLE Advertising
Symantec
T and T Consulting Services Inc.
T. H. Easter Consulting LLC
TCS
TekLeaders
Terra Dotta
TGI Fridays
Thomson Reuters
Toshiba America Business Solutions
Transfermate
Trianz
TriNet
TrustLogics
Truth Initiative
TycoonAdvertisingGroup
U.S. Army Headquarters Installation Management Command
UBS
United Educators
United Way Worldwide
UnitedHealthcare
Upsher-Smith Laboratories
Valley Forge Fabrics
Vanguard
Verizon
WebPT
Worldwide Clinical Trials
Xperiel Inc.

Vision, discipline, and going against the grain are three principles Bonnie Worthington embraced as she set out to establish RV Rental Connection, an online site allowing RV owners to rent their vehicles to prospective vacationers.

The online enterprise based in Chico, California in the United States is a team of three, led by Worthington as founder and CEO, and operates in 30 U.S. states and Canada. The site offers multiple styles of recreational vehicles, from pop-ups, to trailers, and multiple-bedroom motorhomes.

RV owners are able to begin with a free trial to test the success of the rental exchange program before making the decision to sign up for a monthly, no-contract subscription. RV Rental Connection even makes insurance coverage recommendations for renters and rentees with an emphasis on excellent customer service.

Worthington’s creative brand idea culminated with the tagline, “Rent the RV. Own the Experience.” The innovative business model has earned her recognition with The Stevie® Awards for Women in Business in four categories: Startup of the Year and Company of the Year, with 10 employees or less, Female Entrepreneur of the Year, and Maverick of the Year.

Not only was Worthington surprised with the award, but she was also in awe when she realized she would stand next to successful business women from around the world (from companies such as Microsoft and Verizon) at the November 2017 Stevie Awards in New York City.

“Our team has worked very hard this year to provide great value to our RV Rental Listing Members and website visitors who want to rent an RV from a private owner,” Worthington says. “We couldn’t have won these awards without our loyal RV rental owners and dealers who believed in us as a startup and have hung in there with us as we grow and prosper.”

This budding CEO champions the discipline to integrate strategy and to implement it towards achieving goals. Worthington told her local publication ChicoER that she was not afraid to operate a little differently from the rest of the vacation business and online marketplace, positioning RV Rental Connection as a “disruptor to disrupters.” This is what earned her the Maverick of the Year award.

In her lifetime, Worthington has won awards in academics, writing, golf, and competitive horseback riding. She is committed to staying fit and “keeping her mind sharp” with reading, math exercises, and other mind games. She remains dedicated to success, believing if she is driven to achieve, she will.

The Stevie Awards have a made a significant multi-year financial contribution to the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the School of Business at George Mason University, the largest public university in the State of Virginia in the USA. 

Michael Gallagher, Stevie Awards president and a 1994 MBA graduate of the university, has been actively involved with Mason for more than 20 years. So much so that he was honored with the university’s 2015 Alumni Service Award.

In 2005, he worked closely with the School of Business Alumni Relations staff to create the first Annual Business Alumni Celebration, the School of Business' premiere alumni event. In 2009, he became active with the School of Business Alumni Chapter, serving as vice president of events and then led the group as president for the next two years. After completing his tenure as president, he served as an at-large member for another year and most recently led the chapter's fundraising committee.

Gallagher regularly contributes time and money to the School of Business’ annual Deans’ Business Plan Competition and often serves as a mentor to student entrepreneurs.

Still, he wanted to do more.

“I feel strongly about encouraging people to become entrepreneurs,” said Gallagher.

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

“It’s important to ask people face-to-face to do something because it’s hard for them to say no,” explained Gallagher. That’s what happened to him when asked to be involved with Mason, and he’s had “a lot of fun doing it.”

Having already volunteered much of his time and financially supported several of the entrepreneurial activities the School of Business offered, Gallagher saw a natural alignment with his interests and the school’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

He learned through a conversation with David Miller, director of Mason’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, that the center didn’t lack for ideas and projects, it lacked time to properly run and grow the initiatives already created. Gallagher immediately pledged that the Stevie Awards would contribute $195,000 to give the center the gift of time, which comes in the form of a program manager that will help run the center’s programs.

“Entrepreneurs are the babies of the business world. If people don’t have babies there won’t be much of a human race,” he continued. “The same is true for the economy. If you don’t have entrepreneurs, you won’t have economic and job growth.”

With current opportunities for students ranging from field trips, mentor programs, a maker space, business plan competition, an innovation lab, student support groups, and more, Miller found it challenging to provide each initiative the attention it needed to fully serve students. The new program manager funded by the Stevie Awards will be fully dedicated to expanding and resourcing existing opportunities.

This will provide Miller more time to nurture student entrepreneurs and hopefully, increase their success.

“If you have 100 entrepreneurs, maybe one will be successful. That’s the reality of entrepreneurship. I’d like that to be five or six at Mason,” said Gallagher

“Everyone has an expertise in something, and I would like to see Mason, and the USA as a whole, to encourage people to start their own businesses. You don’t have to be Mark Zuckerberg or Sergey Brin. You just need to support yourself and be able to look at yourself in the mirror. You can be a company of one.”

Learn more about Mason’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship or contribute to its success by making a gift.