The awards dinner of the 2013 (10th annual) Stevie Awards for Women in Business, in New York on Friday, November 8, is sold out. Winners of the Grand, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards will be announced that night in the world's top honors for women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the organizations they run.

The Stevie Award placements were determined from among the finalists by 90 members of five final judging committees during online judging from October 14-23.  Their average scores determined the Stevie-winner placements.  (Finalists were determined by the average scores of 150 preliminary judges over six weeks starting in early September.)

We can't thank these great professionals enough for their help in determining this year's women in business awards winners.  Here are the members of the five final judging committees.

(One quick aside first.  If you'd like to apply to participate in the judging process for the 2014 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, apply here.)

Communications & Marketing Awards Categories Final Judging Committee       

Committee Chair
Ruwena Healy, CEO and President
Marketing 24/7, Inc.
Trussville, AL, United States

Beth Blake, Director of Operations, Enterprising Women, Cary, NC, United States
Carol Blanton, APR, Director of Communications, Mississippi Public Universities, Jackson, MS, United States
Kathleen Bouldin, Vice President, Digital Marketing, PrimsWorks, Inc., Landenberg, PA, United States
Deborah V. Bowie, CCE, IOM, Vice President, Chamber Development, Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, Gainesville, FL, United States
Annie Castellano, Chief Creative Officer, Switch: Liberate Your Brand, St Louis, MO, United States
Dale E Gerstenslager, Communications Manager, Doosan Heavy Industries Vietnam Co., Ltd, Quang Ngai, Vietnam
Alice M.Gordon, CEO & Executive Problem Solver, Skye Connect, Inc., Birmingham, AL, United States
Kristina Hendrix, APR, Internal Communications Strategist, Analytical Services, Inc. for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Madison, AL, United States
Karin Hopkins, Vice President of Communications, k2 MediaMax, Tuskagee, AL, United States
Rebecca Jones, Owner, bScene Marketing Solutions, Miami, FL, United States
Joanne Meredith, Senior Associate Director, Direct Response Marketing, Johns Hopkins University/Office of Annual Giving, Baltimore, MD, United States
Davie Rickey, APR, Senior Vice President-Communications, birminghambusinessalliance, The Chamber for Regional Prosperity, Birmingham, AL, United States
Monica Smiley, Publisher/CEO, Enterprising Women, Cary, NC, United States
Carla Spain, Communications Specialist, Patelco Credit Union, Pleasanton, CA, United States
Kim Stiglitz, Content Marketing Director, VerticalResponse, San Francisco, CA, United States
Dawn Walker, Executive Director of Internal Communications & Public Relations, Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY, United States
Julia Zamorska, Communications Specialist, New York, NY, United States

Company/Organization & New Product Awards Categories Final Judging Committee

Committee Chair
Jessica Eaves Mathews, CEO
Leverage a Lawyer LLC
Albuquerque, NM, United States

Lisa Abeyta, Founder/CEO, APPCityLife, Inc., Albuquerque, NM, United States
Eline Altenburg-van den Broek, Director, Quid Novi Foundation, The Hague,  Netherlands
Susie Andrade, Managing Director, Channel Islands Skills Academy, St Peter Port, Guernsey, United Kingdom
Niamh Barker, Managing Director, The Travelwrap Company, New Milton, United Kingdom
Maureen Borzacchiello , CEO, Creative Display Solutions, Bensalem, PA, United States
Larry Broughton, CEO, broughtonHOTELS / BROUGHTONadvisory, Newport Beach, CA, United States
Phil Dyer, CEO, Dyer Financial Advisory, Baldwin, MD, United States
Kiyla Fenell, CEO, Fenell International LLC, Tulsa, OK, United States
Tina Forsyth, CEO, Automate Your Growth, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Linda Ginac, CEO, TalentGuard, Austin, TX, United States
Jennifer Longmore, CEO, Soul Journeys Corporation, Burlington, ON, Canada
Sizile Mabaso, Managing Director, SM Business, Sandton, South Africa
Scott Maloney, Chief Business Officer, Seed Worthy LLC, Albuquerque, NM, United States
Leith Mitchell, IBM Growth Markets Diversity Recruitment Lead, IBM, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Ray Quinana, General Partner, Cottonwood Technology Fund, Albuquerque, NM, United States
Doreen Rainey, CEO, Radical Success institute, Bowie, MD, United States
Katie Sczcepaniak Rice, Senior Associate, Epic Ventures, Albuquerque, NM, United States
Tim Weil, Managing Partner, Providence Capital, Dallas, TX, United States
Becky Wilson, President, WDS Marketing and Public Relations, Overland Park, KS, United States
Kris Wittenberg, CEO, Be Good to People, Eagle, CO, United States

Entrepreneur Awards Categories Final Judging Committee

Committee Chair
Kristen White, CEO
Creative Catapult, LLC/Instant Celebrity Academy
St. Louis, MO, United States

Gloria Buono-Daly, Founder, AllThingsDigitalMarketing.com, Yonkers, NY, United States
Saskia Chiesa, CEO, International Checkout, Santa Monica, CA, United States
Denise Clancey, President, Teledirect Partners, Boston, MA, United States
Ben Clark, President, Big Ben Media, Inc., Lima, OH, United States
Nikki Clark, Project Manager, Big Ben Media, Inc., Lima, OH, United States
Dr. Sayalee Gankar, Director & Professor, MIT Group of Institutions, Pune, India
Barb Girson, President, My Sales Tactics, LLC, New Albany, OH, United States
Kate Darcy Hohenthal, Founder, The Birthday Club, Manchester, CT, United States
Craig Jacobson, Founder, Open Spaces Marketing, Vista, CA, United States
Ann Macindoo,CEO/Founder, So, You Want To Write!, Palm Desert, CA, United States
Margaret Manning, CEO, Reading Room, Singapore, Singapore
Deborah Mitchell, Founder, Heaven Health & Beauty Ltd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Julie Pond, CEO, Sage Environmental Services, Inc., Seattle, WA, United States
John Schwab, Executive Producer, Let's Start a Ripple TV, Clayton, MO, United States
Letty Swank, CEO, Giftwrapperz, Los Gatos, CA, United States

Executive Awards Categories Final Judging Committee

Committee Chair
Marcie Allen, President
MAC Presents
New York, NY, United States

Husam Mahmoud Abdallah, Senior Advisor, Organization Development, Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dr. Selµuk Alimdar, HR Strategic Projects Manager, Avea Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S, Istanbul, Turkey
Chanel Auguste, Brand Partnerships & Commercial Licensing, Warner Brothers Records, New York, NY, United States
Kerri Bergman, Director of Marketing, Billboard, New York, NY, United States
Michele Bernstein, Tour Marketing Agent, William Morris Endeavor, Beverly Hills, CA, United States
Elizabeth Daniel, Luxury Advertising Sales Director, The Editorialist, New York, NY, United States
Andrea Dinunzio, CMO, Blingguard, New York, NY, United States
Rebecca Fagan, Managing Director, Portside Ventures, Brooklyn, NY, United States
Lori Feldman, SVP, Brand Partnerships & Commercial Licensing, Warner Brothers Records, New York, NY, United States
Kimberly Ford, Senior Marketing Manager, Samsung, Brooklyn, NY, United States
Heather Greenfeig, Artist Manager, Red Light Management, New York, NY, United States
Marjorie Hall, SVP Director of Marketing & Sales, ZenithOptimedia, New York, NY, United States
Natasha Hritzuk, Global Senior Insights Director, Microsoft, Redmond, WA, United States
Julie Jakopic, President/CEO, iLead Strategies, Alexandria, VA, United States
Nirva Milord, Director of Communications, NHL, New York, NY, United States
Stephen Moore, CEO/Managing Member, PetroChase, Scottsdale, AZ, United States
Wendy Morris, VP Team Marketing and Business Operations, NBA Entertainment, New York, NY, United States
Amber Williams, Public Relations Executive, Beck Media & Marketing, New York, New York, United States
Judee Anne Williams, Agent/Co-director, CAA/CAA Foundation, New York, NY, United States

Media Awards Categories Final Judging Committee

Committee Chair
Cynthia Good, Founder and CEO
Little PINK Book
Atlanta, GA, United States

Marta Aebischer,Global Marketing Director, Newell Rubbermaid, Huntersville, NC, United States
Suraya Bliss, Senior Director, Digital Communications, Walmart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, AR, United States
Patricia David, Head of Diversity, JPMorgan Chase, New York, NY, United States
Elana Drell Szyfer, CEO, Ahava, New York, NY, United States
Janna Ducich, Vice President, Consumer Insights & Targeted Marketing, AT&T Mobility, Atlanta, GA, United States
Kate Gutmann, President, Worldwide Sales, UPS, Atlanta, GA, United States
Meryl Macune, VP, Global Digital Marketing, Estee Lauder, West New York, NJ, United States
Ali Marano, Technology for Social Good, JPMorgan Chase, New York, NY, United States
Nicole Middendorf, CEO, Prosperwell Financial, Plymouth, MN, United States
Maya Mikhailov, EVP, Clear Strategy/CoFounder, GPShopper, New York, NY, United States
Caitlin Storhaug, Director, Corporate Marketing, Accenture, San Francisco, CA, United States
Chloé Taylor Brown, President & CEO, Chloé Taylor Brown Enterprises, LLC, Sandy Springs, GA, United States
Melanie Tinto, Vice President, Executive Leadership & Organization Development, Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, CA, United States
Erin Varano, Director, Brand Marketing, Rubbermaid Consumer Products, Newell Rubbermaid, Atlanta, GA, United States

Cynthia Good is the founder and CEO of Little PINK Book, and is chair of the final judging committee for the media awards categories in the 2013 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run. We asked Cynthia about her experience as a Stevie Award winner, the value of awards programs for women in business, and what inspires her.

Here’s what Cynthia had to say about being a Final Judging Committee Chair, and her own experience of winning a Stevie Award:

“I personally value the invitation to chair one of this year's final judging committees.   At PINK, we have found that whenever we contacted our friends - all senior level women, at Walmart, HP, Accenture, Estee Lauder, Ahava, JPMorgan Chase, and UPS - they were thrilled to join the committee to judge the Stevie Awards.  It speaks volumes about the Stevie Awards organization that some of the most prominent women at many of the world's top companies are willing to take the time to be part of this.  It also shows the commitment their own organizations have to helping women succeed.

“The Stevie Awards have a great reputation and many longtime partners of PINK also participate. We have been excited to share the work PINK has done and to be recognized for the hard work the team at PINK has put in over the years to tell the story about women, career, and advancement.

“At PINK we were especially pleased to have received the Gold Stevie Award in the website awards category for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012) from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business. I’m so proud of the PINK team. It is their hard work that resulted in this recognition. And we all appreciate the support given by the Stevie Awards to organizations working to promote women in business.” 

We asked Cynthia for some advice on what Corporate America can do to expand the roles of women and minorities in the workplace.  Here’s what she told us:

“In our work with corporations to advance women and minorities we’ve found that most companies rely primarily on mentoring, networking, affinity groups, and sponsorship programs as the means of advancing diversity; but this isn’t enough to change the metrics.

“At most companies, diversity engagement becomes the responsibility of the HR and Diversity departments in order to make sure a company is compliant and that minority employees have a sounding board. But this does not drive real change and may even contribute to a continuation of the status quo.

“How to fix it?  What we at PINK have found is often lacking is full endorsement from the top. Once the CEO of a company decides to measure and then increase diversity participation in leadership roles, then we can bring about real change.

“At PINK, we will only work with companies to increase diversity leadership when there is full support and direction from the top. This makes it far easier for Diversity and HR to set--and then achieve--specific goals.

“Advancement within a company or organization requires not just the full participation of the individual diversity candidate: it means finding out what each candidate is most passionate about; what the obstacles to advancement are; and what it will take to overcome those obstacles.”

When asked for her sources of inspiration, Cynthia told us:

“Eighty percent of those in PINK’s community say they advanced in their career because of Little PINK Book. It is those individual stories of inspiration that keep us motivated and excited to get up every morning.

“You can read one example in a recent feature story we ran on America’s Top 10 Female CFOs.  Another was the Facebook Contest we organized that gave one contestant a week at Canyon Ranch Spa for sharing how she had found the ‘courage to do what she loves.’ We also share the wisdom of women leaders every year at our signature events.  The next one, our 9^th Annual Fall Empowerment Event, is November 12 in Atlanta, and we will be live-streaming it free for women around the world to watch, learn, and be as inspired as we are by these leaders’ stories of triumph.”

2013 Judging and Awards Dinner and Ceremonies:

The final judging committees of the Stevie Awards for Women in Business are currently determining the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements from among the winners. In addition to the media categories, The Stevie Awards for Women in Business final judging committees will also confer marketing awards, new product awards, management awards, company awards, and PR awards. The awards will be announced and presented, and the recipients and judges will be celebrated, at the 2013 (10th annual) awards dinner and ceremonies. The dinner will be held on Friday, November 8 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York City. Tickets are still available.

About Cynthia Good:
Cynthia Good is the founder and CEO of Little PINK Book, America's #1 digital platform for career women. PINK launched in 2005 as the only national women's business magazine, which under Cynthia’s leadership grew to a readership of 650,000. She then grew the digital version, LittlePINKBook.com, into America's top online resource for working women. Now she's bringing advancement directly to Fortune 500 companies with programs such as ITAP (Identify, Track, Advance, Promote), enabling corporate America to increase the diversity representation of women and minorities in leadership roles. "It's our legacy work," says AIG.

PINK has won numerous industry honors including the Ozzie Award for Best Feature, and the Gold Stevie for Best Website from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business for two consecutive years. Stories featuring top women in business on LittlePINKBook.com continue to inspire generations of ambitious women. Cynthia has written six books and appears regularly as a women's business expert on evening newscasts. She gives speeches to corporate and entrepreneurial groups alike, including The Coca-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, McKesson, Andrews Kurth, Hilton Worldwide, Deloitte, and KPMG.

A self-described Famillionaire, Cynthia knows riches are in family. She lives in Atlanta, GA, USA with her husband of more than 20 years and their two sons, Alden and Julien; two miniature horses; four chickens; and Lucy their giant orange cat.

About Little PINK Book:
Little PINK Book describes itself as:  “Your daily dose of encouragement and inspiration to follow your dreams and have the beautiful career and beautiful life you deserve.”  For more information, go to www.littlepinkbook.com.

The following professionals participated in the preliminary round of judging for the 10th Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business during September-October 2013. Their average scores determined the 2013 Award Finalists. The awards judging process is now moving into the final judging phase. We thank the preliminary round judges for their interest, time, and insights. For more information about the program, including a complete list of all award categories, visit www.StevieAwards.com/women.

2013 STEVIE AWARDS FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS PRELIMINARY ROUND JUDGES:

Husam Mahmoud Abdallah, Sr. Specialist Strategy & Business Excellence, Dubai Airport Free Zone, Dubai, United Arab Emirates             
Amal Al-Najjar, Human Resources Supervisor, Fluor Corporation, Ahmadi, Kuwait            
Eline Altenburg-van den Broek, Director, Quid Novi Foundation, The Hague, Netherlands            
Amy Anda, Director, Credence Management Solutions LLC, Washington, DC, United States         
Kausar Asif, Sr. Manager Mktg. Services, Cupola Pakistan Limited, Karachi, Pakistan        
Ani Atanasova, CEO, Pixelhunters, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tyrone Bachus, Sr. Director, Communications and Quality, Trowbridge & Trowbridge, McLean, VA, United States             
Rashi Bajaj, Founder, Carpet Couture by Rashi, Delhi, India         
Ishrat Bano, Doctor, Harvard University, Brookline, MA, United States   
Victoria Barnett, Senior Marketing Director, Royal College of Nursing, London, United Kingdom
Michelle Bart, President, CEO, National Women's Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation (NWCAVE), Vancouver, Canada               
Deepa Barve, Sr. Recruitment Leader, SSOE, Portland, OR, United States             
Janet Beale, Managing Director, Sytor Enterprises Pty Ltd, East Lindfield, NSW, Australia               
Maxim Behar, CEO, M3 Communications Group, Inc., Sofia, Bulgaria       
Sherry Bellamy, Website Designer, JZ Consulting, Centreville, VA, United States               
Sheri Benjamin, Silicon Valley Chair, Vistage International, Saratoga, CA, United States  
Denise Blasevick, CEO, The S3 Agency, Boonton, NJ, United States          
Erin Bolton, VP, Pivot Communications, Salt Lake City, UT, United States               
Tya Bolton, CEO / Business & Event Strategist, Exceptional Business Solutions, LLC, Waldorf, MD, United States 
Jennifer Braun, Owner & CEO, Type A Events | Festivities, Medina, MN, United States  
Emily Brown, Journalist Blogger, The Career Pioneer, Washington, DC, United States      
Jane Bryant, Director, Spire Communications, Potomac Falls, VA, United States 
Estee Buaron, MBA, Previous RBC, Ontario, Canada        
Peter Bush, Chief Executive, New Swansea Bay, Port Talbot, United States         
Bev Campbell, Employee Advocate, Western Wireless, Eastport, ID, United States          
Annie  Castellano, Chief Creative Officer, Switch: Liberate Your Brand, St. Louis, MO, United States       
Etta Cohen, Founder, Forward Ladies, Leeds, United Kingdom  
Camilla Colegrave, Independent Consultant, New York, NY, United States        
Kimberly Cooley, Communications Director, Henderson Hutcherson & McCullough, Chattanooga, TN, United States       
Churchill Dass Prince, Founder & CEO, Sales Intellect Company, Chennai, India  
Robyn Davis, Owner, When I Need Help, Columbia, SC, United States    
Danielle Di-Masi, Business Etiquette Expert, Click! Training & Consulting, Sydney, Australia          
Gail D'Silva, President & COO, JAUST Consulting Partners, San Jose, CA, United States   
Christine Dunn, Founder, Savoir Media, Belmont, MA, United States     
Diane Emo, VP Marketing, Coverall North America Inc., Boca Raton, FL, United States    
Lori Ericson, Product Planning and Development, Epicor Software, Denver, CO, United States    
Joy Lynn Fields, President, Joy Lynn, Inc., Atlanta, GA, United States      
Kharma Finley-Wallace, Business Operations Manager, AAA Mid-Atlantic, Washington, DC, United States            
Rachel Fishman Fedderson, Editorial Director, Parenting.com, New York, NY, United States         
Julia Forsyth, Senior Global Marketing Manager, GSMA, Atlanta, GA, United States        
Allison Freeland, PR Director, iAcquire, Minneapolis, MN, United States               
Heisha Freeman, Executive Vice President, The Move Management Center, Dallas, TX, United States    
Jaclyn Frenzel, Vice President, AFM, Inc., Stockton, CA, United States   
Patricia Garcia, Experience Architect, Critical Mass, Aurora, IL, United States       
Lorretta Gasper, Owner/Principal, Wind Rose Communications, Atlanta, GA, United States         
Dale Gerstenslager, GM PR & Communications, Doosan, Quang Ngai, Vietnam  
Pamela Gharaibeh, Child and Family Therapist, Main Street Therapy for Children and Families, Livonia, MI, United States               
Barb Girson, President, My Sales Tactics, New Albany, OH, United States             
Marilyn Glazier, Social Media Director, Helen Doron Ltd., Misgav, Israel 
Regina Glick, Director of Marketing, Summit Business Media, New York, NY, United States          
Marina Go, Publishing Director, Private Media, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia            
Audrey Godwin, Fearless Financial Mastery Expert, The Godwin Group, Bellevue, WA, United States     
Keith Goggin, Partner, Integral Derivatives LLC, New York, NY, United States      
Suzanne Harrison, Director, Strategy, Planning & Analysis, Allstream, Toronto, Canada   
Leslie Harstad, Director of Marketing, Optum, St. Paul, MN, United States           
Renda Hawwa, Corporate Communications, IntelligentMDx, Boston, MA, United States               
Barb Hendrickson, President, Visible Communication.com, Livonia, MI, United States    
Deborah Herman, President, Fabric Innovations, Miami, FL, United States           
Jill Heron, Director, Marketing & Client Relations, AMAXRA, Seattle, WA, United States 
Robyne Highsmith, Founder, Teen Dare To Dream Program, Zionsville, IN, United States              
Yvonne Howie, Chief Executive, The CEO Institute, Sydney, Australia     
Jennifer  Hrycyszyn, VP, Greenough Communications, Boston, MA, United States           
Clara HY Wang, Founder & President, KAI Communications, Beijing, China          
Nicol Jameson, Director of Marketing & PR, Lisa Hoffman Beauty, Los Angeles, CA, United States             
Anne Jefferies, Vendor Compliance Manager, AT&T Global Vendor Management, Biggar, United Kingdom         
JP Jones, Owner, Paige1Media, Lawerenceburg, TN, United States         
Rebecca Jones, Owner, bScene Marketing Solutions, Miami, FL, United States  
Sheryl Jones, Managing Director, Ozuro Fine Fewelry, New York, NY, United States        
Rose Jurczewski, Owner, Funxion Fuzion, Roselle, IL, United States        
Kathryn Kavicky, Owner/Director, Parachute Communications, Stamford, CT, United States        
Jennifer Keller, Director of Client Services, The James Agency, Scottsdale, AZ, United States       
Patricia Marie Kelly, Owner, Marie Kelly Unlimited, Algonquin, IL, United States
Laura Kerr, Principal Business Analyst - Interact, Sabre Airline Solutions, Dallas, TX, United States              
Lesley Kirchman, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing, Actiontec Electronice, San Francisco, CA, United States            
Roja Kolachina, CEO, Synerteq, Inc., Washington, DC, United States        
Shamina Krishna, Manager, Training Department, Smart Reader® Worldwide Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia              
Iwona Kubicz, President of the Board, Procontent, Warsaw, Poland       
Mary Anne Lanier, Trustee, Ray C. Anderson Foundation, Marietta, GA, United States  
Jill Liberman, Founder, Videoglobetrotter, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, United States    
Sarah Lippincott, PR Executive, zcomm, Washington, DC, United States 
Amy Lurier, CEO, TechFind, Inc., Natick, MA, United States         
Anil Machado, Managing Director, Tnell, Sieradz, Poland              
Morag Malloy, Managing Director, Fission Creative, Paisley, United Kingdom     
Jessica  Manna, VP & Chief Marketing Officer, Residential Finance, Columbus, OH, United States             
Margaret Manning, CEO, Reading Room, London, United Kingdom          
Lynne Marcus, President, Marcus + Company, Albuquerque, NM, United States              
Carol Marx, Past President, American Agri-Women, Rickreall, OR, United States               
Karen McFadzen, VP Technical Services, Cisco Systems, Chatswood, Australia    
Laura McIntosh, President, M Entertainment, Lodi, CA, United States    
Colin  McKillop, CEO, Butcher Enteprises, Brownstown, MI, United States          
Elaine Metlin, Senior Partner, Dickstein Shapiro, Washington, DC, United States               
Jon Michail, CEO, Image Group International, South Yarra, Victoria, Australia      
Stephen Moore, CEO, Petrochase, Scottsdale, AZ, United States              
Sarah Musgrove, Owner, Musgrove Productions, Playa Del Rey, CA, United States          
Patricia Neal, President, Heartland Inc., Minneapolis, MN, United States              
Karen Nicholas, Director, Learning Options, Manuka, Australia   
Elizabeth Ojeda, Manager of Strategic Partnerships, City and County of Denver, Denver, CO, United States         
Erica Olsen, COO/Co-Founder, M3 Planning, Reno, NV, United States    
Lorraine O'Neill, Director, The EPI Centre Pty Ltd, Parrearra, QLD, Australia         
Jill Osur, President, Save Your Do LLC, Walnut Creek, CA, United States 
Donna Oulton, Managing Director, Planet Heaven PR, Liverpool, United Kingdom            
Kaan Özsoken, Owner, K-Tex Sourcing & Buying Agency, Istanbul, Turkey            
Nikki Parker, Regional Director, North America and Oceania, Freelancer, Sydney, Australia          
Christine Pietryla, Senior Vice President of Public Relations, Walker Sands Communications, Chicago, IL, United States   
Harish Pillai, COO, Indus Health Plus Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India            
Jacqueline Plair-Rushin, Director, Global Customer Care, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Alpharetta, GA, United States 
Julie Pond, CEO, Sage Environmental Services, Inc., Seattle, WA, United States 
Lauren Prisco, Executive Vice President, Navis Learning Corporation, Canton, MA, United States              
Jesintha Rajaratnam, Managing Partner, Joje India Consultants - Finance and HR, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates               
Ariadna Randall, Independent Beauty Consultant, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Burlington, Ontario, Canada       
Sonu Ratra, President, Akraya, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, United States            
Shenan Reed, Chief Media Officer / Founder, Morpheus Media, New York, NY, United States   
Maria Reitan, Senior Principal, Carmichael Lynch Spong, Minneapolis, MN, United States              
Christina Robinson, Patient Care Representative, Group Health Coop, Seattle, WA, United States            
Jessica Rovello, Founder, Arkadium, Las Vegas, NV, United States           
Gyan Saxena, Member of Board of Advisor, DatamanUSA, LLC, Centennial, CO, United States   
Amy Scarlino, President & CEO, Catchpole Corporation, Boston, MA, United States         
Katja Schroeder, President, Expedition PR, Brooklyn, NY, United States
Mark Schroeder, Senior Vice President, M Booth & Associates, New York, NY, United States     
Bae Seog Bong, Managing Director, KCU, Seoul, South Korea     
Keira Shein, Partner, WilkinsonShein Communications, Stevenson, MD, United States   
Julie Sheppard, General Counsel, Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC), Pensacola, FL, United States               
Ravinder Singh, Director - Strategy and Online Marketing, Kulwant Advisory, Kenya      
Michelle Smith, VP, Digital Networks, Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States        
Carla Spain, Communications Specialist, Patelco Credit Union, San Francisco, CA, United States  
Carolyn Sparano, Vice President, Client Services, Bronto Software, Durham, NC, United States  
Michael Spink, Communications Manager, LGFCU, Raleigh, NC, United States    
Mindy Statz, Director, Aravo, Irving, TX, United States   
David Stein, President & General Manager, Inman News, Alameda, CA, United States   
Kim Stiglitz, Director of Lifecycle Marketing, VerticalResponse Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States        
Natalie Sudina, Chief Executive, Best4Kid LTD, United Kingdom              
Heena Sunil Bulchandani, Specialist-Training & Development, HR Training, DEWA, Dubai, United Arab Emirates  
Letty Swank, Founder, Giftwrapperz, Los Gatos, CA, United States         
Deborah Sweeney, CEO, MyCorporation.com, Calabasas, CA, United States       
Veronique Topping, Owner and Web Developer, WomanOwnedNewYork.com, Rockville Centre, NY, United States       
Susan Tripathi, Change Champion, SimFrost Consulting, Mumbai, India 
Linda Varrell, President, Broadreach Public Relations, Portland, ME, United States           
Anne Walker, Founder & CEO, International Dance Supplies Ltd, Newton Abbot, United Kingdom            
Ann Wead Kimbrough, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States   
Joyce Weiland, President, SoftPro, Raleigh, NC, United States   
Charlene Weisler, CEO, Weisler Media, LLC, New York, NY, United States             
Kelly Wels, CEO, GreenTeamDistribution.com, South Paris, ME, United States   
Floor Wijburg, Co-founder, Yes We Care, Rotterdam, Netherlands          
Polly Willson, Director of Digital Engagement, Reading Room, London, United Kingdom 
Becky Wilson, President, WDS Marketing and Public Relations, Overland Park, KS, United States              
Mark Wilson, President, ARIIX, Bountiful, UT, United States       
Shunee Yee, President & CEO, CSoft, Beijing, China        
Nicole Yelland, Director of Marketing & Communications, Livio, Ferndale, MI, United States        
Gwendolyn Young, Executive Director, Seed of Hope Foundation, Oak Brook, IL, United States 
Joseph Zitzelberger, Director of Manufacturing Development, PACCAR Inc, Chillicothe, OH, United States 

Final judging, to determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements from among the Finalists, will begin next week. Five distinguished women are chairing the 2013 final judging committees. Stevie winners will then be announced and recognized at the 10th annual awards dinner in New York City on Friday, November 8. Tickets are still available.

 About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in five programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com, and follow the Stevie Awards on Twitter @TheStevieAwards.   

Finalists were announced today in the 10th Annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, the world’s top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are produced by the creators of the prestigious American Business Awards and International Business Awards.  The Stevies are widely considered to be the world’s premier business awards.

This year’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced at an awards dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Friday, November 8.  A new feature at this year’s event will be the Top 5 Awards, featuring the presentation of new Grand Stevie Award trophies to the five organizations that submitted the best collection of entries to this year’s competition.

More than 1,200 entries were submitted this year by organizations and individuals around the world for consideration in more than 90 award categories including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Communications Campaign of the Year. 

Among the leading contenders with multiple Finalists are Accenture, Chicago, IL USA; Acxiom Corporation, Foster City, CA USA; Child's Play Communications, New York, NY USA; Deborah Mitchell Heaven Health & Beauty Ltd, Shifnal, Shropshire, United Kingdom; Marketing Maven, Camarillo, CA USA; NEI Global Relocation, Omaha, NE USA; One Legacy Pty Ltd, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia; Pivot Communications, Salt Lake City, UT USA; The Thomas Collective, New York, NY USA; and VerticalResponse, San Francisco, CA USA.  For a complete list of Finalists by category, visit www.StevieAwards.com/Women.

Award finalists were chosen by more than 150 business professionals worldwide during preliminary judging.  Members of five final judging committees will determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements from among the Finalists during final judging that begins next week.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in five programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and a new program, the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.  Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.  Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com.

 

 

With the preliminary judging of this year’s Stevie® Awards for Women in Business about to wrap on October 6, the Stevie Awards are delighted to announce the names of the five distinguished women who will chair the final judging committees of the 2013 (10th annual) competition.

The Individual Awards categories, which recognize the achievements of individual women entrepreneurs, executives and employees, form the biggest category group in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, so two committees have been formed:

Marcie Allen, president of New York City-based sponsorship and fulfillment agency MAC Presents, will chair the committee for the Best Executives Awards categories.

“As a woman in the music industry, recognition in the Stevie Awards has proved an effective tool for me to encourage more women to enter this industry,” stated Marcie recently. “As someone who has been in the music industry for 18 years, I want to inspire women and show them that anything is possible.  All power to the Stevie Awards for Women on its 10^th Anniversary!”

Marcie is a seven-time nominee and two-time winner of Billboard Magazine's Concert Marketing and Promotion Award. She was named to Billboard’s Women in Music in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and to Billboard’s 40 under 40 in 2013. Earlier this year, The White House honored Marcie as one of their Hurricane Sandy "Champions of Change." The event highlighted people and organizations directly involved in response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy. Marcie directed a documentary short, “Beach 119,” about her efforts in the Rockaways, New York, after the storm. Marcie leverages her eighteen years of music industry experience to negotiate high profile sponsorships between the world’s leading brands and artists. Recent clients include Jeep, Microsoft, Samsung, CITI, AT&T, and Nokia. 

Prior to starting MAC, Marcie owned and operated MAD Booking & Events, which booked and produced music festivals across the country including On the Bricks in Atlanta, Georgia. Allen is on the board of directors for Musicians on Call and the TJ Martell Foundation.

 

The final judging committee for the Best Entrepreneur Awards categories will be chaired by Kristen White, CEO of Creative Catapult, LLC/Instant Celebrity Academy in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and host of “Let’s Start A Ripple” TV. Kristen is a media expert who helps entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, life coaches, and businesses become more powerful messengers through content creation and on-camera coaching. Kristen works with clients to create media-based marketing platforms including television, radio, iPad magazines, and multi-media books. Her company, Creative Catapult, LLC, is a media coaching and video production company for the wellness and personal development marketplace.

Kristen has more than a decade of experience as a television journalist and anchor. Her new show, Let’s start a Ripple, which debuted in January 2013, is a news-style talk show that features experts in personal development, wellness and spirituality. The show is broadcast on The Wisdom Channel on Google TV, HULU, and on mainstream media. It is produced in the ABC TV studio in St. Louis, Missouri, and on location in Sedona, Arizona, in California, and in New York.

In addition to a Gold Stevie Awards for Video of the Year and for Mentor/Coach of the Year, Kristen received the Bronze Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in the 2012 Women in Business Awards. Her industry awards include the Platinum “Best in Show” Award for Video and a Gold Award for Video in the 2012 Aurora Awards.

 

Chair of the final judging committee for both the Company/Organization Awards and the New Product Awards categories is Jessica Eaves Mathews, CEO of Leverage a Lawyer LLC in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Jessica describes herself as America’s Advocate for Women in Business™.  She is an award-winning entrepreneur and intellectual property and business lawyer; a published author and speaker; and an authority on helping women entrepreneurs and women business owners step into their power and, as she says, “create a brilliant business and a brilliant life on their own terms.”

Jessica has spent her legal career representing all types of businesses, from solopreneurs to Fortune 500 companies. Before launching her own firm, she was the head of litigation and compliance for Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft.  Jessica is the founder of Leverage Legal Group, a global intellectual property and business law firm for the new economy. Jessica's team of experienced attorneys provides world-class, flat-fee legal services, virtual general and outside counsel, and in-sourced legal services.  The firm’s entry-level program, Leverage-a-Lawyer, provides budget-friendly, flat-fee legal services, information, and education for first-time business owners or startups who don’t yet have the budget for full-blown legal counsel.  Jessica also has experience "on the other side of the conference table" as founder and CEO of Grace & Game, a lifestyle brand both for golf and for the sophisticated, feminine, modern women. Grace & Game designs are made in the USA with sustainable fabrics and are designed to perform beautifully both on and off the course.  She is also founder and CEO of Untoxicating Beauty, a new subscription beauty experience for women who care as much about what goes into their bodies as what they put on them.

Jessica is an adjunct professor at University of New Mexico Law School; an appointee on the New Mexico Economic Development Council; co-founder and Chief Legal Officer for The Virtual Accelerator, a virtual business accelerator for startups, and is the co-founder of Hautepreneurs, a new networking organization for women entrepreneurs based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has been featured on MSNBC, Oprah, Forbes.com, NBC, Oxygen, and in Allure Magazine.

 

The chair of the final judging committee for the Communications & Marketing Awards categories is Ruwena Healy, CEO and president of Marketing 24/7, Inc., a full-service marketing, branding, and public relations firm in Trussville, Alabama, USA, which she founded eight years ago. Marketing 24/7 has a diverse client list and is one of Birmingham, Alabama’s Top 10 PR firms. Ruwena gave some useful advice on the importance of winning business awards in an earlier blog post.

Marketing 24/7 and Ruwena have garnered numerous international, national, state, and local awards, including a Gold Stevie for Communications/PR Campaign of the Year in the 2012 Stevie Awards for Women In Business. Ruwena was recently named first runner up in the Birmingham Business Journal’s Social Madness competition that showcased a company’s social media savvy by gaining new followers and encouraging follower engagement. Just this week, Ruwena was honored as one of three finalists in the Birmingham Business Alliance's 2013 Awards in the category of Small Business of the Year (1 to 50 employees) and was awarded three Lantern Awards from the Southern Public Relations Federation. She has also received an “Honorable Mention” in the international Enterprising Women of the Year Award by Enterprising Women magazine,

Ruwena is a LinkedIn expert and trainer (her LinkedIn profile was among the Top 1% of the Most Viewed profiles in 2012). She is a sought-after speaker, trainer, and lecturer, and has also presented numerous programs on branding, social media, public relations, and how to successfully get the word out about a business. Ruwena maintains a blog at MasterMarketing247.com and her articles have appeared in PR News’ 2011 Crisis Management Guidebook, Birmingham Business Journal, The Birmingham News, Alabama Business News, and al.com. Ruwena is an active member of the Birmingham, Alabama community:  she is a member of The Women’s Network; a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Relations Council of Alabama’s Birmingham Chapter; a former Board member and currently a member of the Public Relations Society of America Alabama Chapter; and a current member of Alabama Women In Business.

Ruwena has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Florida and a Masters in Business Administration from Florida State University. Today, with twin boys that are seven years old, Ruwena gives her time to fundraisers for their school and as a leader in the Cub Scouts.

 

Chair of the final judging committee for the Media Awards categories (covering websites, apps, live events, and film/video) is Cynthia Good, founder and CEO of Little PINK Book, a digital platform for career women, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Commenting on her appointment as Chair, Cynthia said: “The Stevie Awards is an organization that inspires companies to do the right thing to help advance women in business. It’s great to see those supporting women’s advancement be acknowledged for their good work.”

Supporting women’s advancement and entrepreneurship is something with which Cynthia is familiar. Her Little PINK Book is the online evolution of PINK magazine, founded by Good in 2005. In addition to the daily e-notes, proven to help career women advance, Little PINK Book’s ventures include two highly successful national conference series: their Spring Into Ownership event for entrepreneurs; and the Fall Empowerment series, featuring top women from Corporate America.

Cynthia appears regularly as a speaker at seminars and women-centric events with companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, McKesson, Turknett Leadership Group, Andrews Kurth, Hilton Worldwide, InterContinental Hotels Group, and more. She has written six books and has a weekly TV segment on CBS Atlanta, where she discusses news pertinent to women. You can follow her on Twitter and via Facebook.

Finalists in the 2013 competition will be announced next week.  Final judging, to determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements from among the Finalists, will begin the week of October 14.  Stevie winners will then be announced and recognized at the 10th annual awards dinner in New York City on Friday, November 8.

In the leadup to tomorrow's final entry deadline for the 10th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for women in the workplace, we've been catching up with Stevie Award winners from the past decade.  They've told us about what it meant to them to win their Stevie Awards; how it's affected their lives and their businesses.

Today we catch up with 2008 Stevie winner Nina Simosko, then global chief operating officer of SAP Education, SAP America, Palo Alto, CA.  Simosko won her Stevie as Best Executive – Services Business (more than 2500 employees).

Since winning the Stevie Award in 2008, Simosko has been fortunate enough to land her dream job at Nike. In her role at Nike, she continues to work in a technology function, as head of strategy, planning & operations for Nike Global Technology.  Since fitness is such an important aspect of her life, having the chance to work for such an iconic brand as Nike is what she claims “a truly wonderful experience and amazing career move and opportunity.”

Back in 2008, the Stevie Awards competition was deep for Simosko, as in her category she was surrounded by a plethora of powerful, intelligent and driven women like herself, all of whom were leading their respective efforts at large corporations. She was honored to be part of the Stevie Awards program and to be associated with the award and group, especially considering all the amazing executives that participated across the board, both in years before she received her award as well as years following.  What makes the Stevie Awards for Women in Business distinctive is that it attracts strong, smart and tenacious women spanning many platforms – for profit and non-profit, large and small companies, and more.  The company one keeps when being part of this competition is really motivating and intriguing.

Today, Simosko continually reflects on her Stevie Award win, using it as a tool to help empower younger women, who also are chasing their dreams. She refers to it as a way for her to help them further their careers and prove that anything is possible.

The Stevie Award has been proudly featured on her personal blog (ninasimosko.com) as well as on her LinkedIn profile since she earned it, affording inspiration for others.

“My Stevie Award experience was an amazing one – first, from my initial surprise when I was declared as the winner, to proudly showcasing my Stevie ever since and sharing it with many younger colleagues seeking to enhance their own careers. I hope the Stevie Award and my career serve as examples and role models for these energetic young women who are learning that the sky is the limit for setting out to achieve whatever you set your mind to.  For me, the Stevie win was behind me all the way!”

Enter the 2013 Stevie Awards for Women in Business now at www.StevieAwards.com/Women.   Need a brief extension past tomorrow's deadline?  Request one by writing to help@stevieawards.com.

In the leadup to tomorrow's final entry deadline for the 10th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for women in the workplace, we've been catching up with Stevie Award winners from the past decade.  They've told us about what it meant to them to win their Stevie Awards; how it's affected their lives and their businesses.

Today we catch up with 2005 Stevie winner Marla Letizia, then president of Mobile Billboards of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV.  Marla and her company won their Stevie for Most Innovative Company of the Year – Up to 100 Employees.

Marla R. Letizia was one of the first women to earn a Stevie Award for Women in Business. In 2005, the second year of the awards program.  At that time, Letizia was in the throes of getting her novel billboard business off the ground by bringing mobile advertisements to the exciting Las Vegas market.

At that time, her business was in its embryonic stages. Letizia was learning how to navigate her newfound entrepreneurial venture.  She was busy enjoying both building and operating her new enterprise.

The Stevie Award win helped solidify her firm’s position in the marketplace, expanding awareness beyond the Las Vegas market the company was serving, and exposing its successes to others outside the area looking in to find a billboards vendor.

Sometime after winning her Stevie Award, Letizia hit a crisis and while her business survived (and was renamed), she claims to have found the silver lining by learning a great deal about being a successful entrepreneur and running an innovative company.  According to Letizia, “I have the courage of a lion with regard to anything in business.”  There is an a old quote, “that which does not kill us makes us stronger," and while Letizia grew stronger personally and professionally, the confidence of a winning a Stevie stayed alongside her.

The press coverage that resulted from her Stevie Award win continues to show up in Google searches and brings instant credibility to her business when potential customers -- both inside and outside of the Las Vegas marketplace – search for businesses boasting her service offering.  The recognition she earned also continues to aid in recruitment as future employees discover the award win online when searching her firm and are very impressed with the remarkable achievement.

“When a solid organization finds you worthy of honoring, graciously smile and say thank you, then enjoy all it has to offer and then find ways to give back!”

It has been an honor to earn this award, and Letizia is constantly seeking ways to give back. The Stevie has helped propel her business to new levels.

Enter the 2013 Stevie Awards for Women in Business now at www.StevieAwards.com/Women.   Need a brief extension past tomorrow's deadline?  Request one by writing to help@stevieawards.com.

September 25 is the final entry deadine for the 10th annual Stevie ® Awards for Women in Business (www.StevieAwards.com/Women), the world's top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run.

You may be considering nominating yourself, your boss, your company... and are wondering whether the hassle of preparing an entry, and paying the entry fee, are worth it.

Over the past several weeks we've profiled in this blog a number of Stevies for Women winners over the past decade.  We thought you'd like to hear one more time what they said about what winning their Stevie has meant to them, and to the continued success of their organizations.

What Past Stevie Award Winners Have to Say

Winning a Stevie "shone a bright light on Signature HomeStyles’ mission to make a difference … one home at time. The Stevie Awards helped create more awareness about our company with articles appearing in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Daily Herald, and other news outlets."
--- Madolyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Signature HomeStyles

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"It was a massive honour to be the first Australian woman to win a Stevie Award for Women in Business, and I’ve since gone on to win multiple Stevies.  I think back to the night I won my first Stevie and look at how much my business has expanded since, and feel honored to be recognized internationally for my achievements.”
--- Sandy Forster, founder and CEO of WildlyWealthy.com

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“I encourage every woman in business to explore the Stevie Awards program and consider nominating yourself or another worthy advocate for the awards. The Stevie Awards staff and community are incredibly supportive and insightful. Going through the nomination process is fun and generates powerful self-discovery. Take that step – find your voice!”
--- Liz Ryan, founder of Human Workplace

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"The town where I lived at the time I received the award -- Davie, Florida --  was so proud of and impressed with my Stevie Award that they named a day after me!  I never could have anticipated that this type of recognition would elicit such a response from my community, and I am grateful that the judges acknowledged the importance of supporting those with autism.  Winning the Lifetime Achievement Stevie Award was one of the high points of my career."
--- Valerie Herskowitz, president of the Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

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“Winning the Stevie Award was an enormous achievement for me and my business and continues to prove beneficial to our operations every day. I had no idea of the impact that winning this award would have on our business until I checked my e-mail from my hotel room the next morning and online orders had flooded in from across the USA.  We now have a growing and loyal customer base in America via online and retail outlets.  The Stevie Awards have definitely helped elevate our U.S. presence.”
--- Niamh Barker, founder and managing director of The Travelwrap Company

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"Since earning the Stevie Award, my business has grown. As the first Japanese woman to win, I am humbled and honored to have earned this award. It continues to positively impact the success of my business."
--- Atsuko Matsumura

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“Outside of being recognized as a best-selling author on Amazon.com, the Stevie Award has been my most recognized accolade.”
--- Dr. Laureen Wishom

 

If you want the same platform for recognition that these women received through their Stevie Award wins, you need to enter the Stevie Awards for Women in Business.  Do that today at www.StevieAwards.com/Women.

2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run.

As we approach the September 25 final entry deadline for the 2013 competition we'll look back at some of the women who have won Stevie Awards over the past decade.  We'll catch up with them on their current activities, and learn what their Stevie win meant to them and their careers.

Today's Q&A is with 2004 Stevie winner Madolyn Johnson.  Johnson won the Stevie Award for Women Helping Women in the 2004 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Now the founder and CEO of Signature HomeStyles (formerly The HomeMaker's Idea Company), Johnson has seen the company grow over the past 10 years.

As one of the first winners in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and subsequently also in The American Business Awards, what has winning a Stevie Award meant to you?

It shone a bright light on Signature HomeStyles’ mission to make a difference … one home at time. The Stevie Awards helped create more awareness about our company with articles appearing in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Daily Herald, and other news outlets.   

As a successful business owner, what advice do you have for women starting their own businesses?

Do it now! If you wait, it might be too late. You must be passionate about what you do. Believe in yourself and keep at it no matter the challenges or obstacles put in your way.

Signature HomeStyles must be something of a bellweather for the economy in the United States and Canada.  What do you see shaping businesses in the next three years?

Perseverance! I started my company in 1971 when the country was in a recession. You’re going to hit a few bumpy patches, but if you follow your mission and passion, make smart business decisions, and persevere, you can weather any storm.

Do you have a favorite business app?

Yes, SHS Everywhere! We introduced this app to our team of Signature HomeStyles representatives a year ago. This app allows them to do their Signature HomeStyles business on the go. They can access important news and product-training videos, and show their customers our catalogs everywhere they go! 

As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?

The stories of success I hear from our Signature HomeStyles representatives. Whether it is someone who is a more confident person because she presents our products at Signature HomeStyles Shows, or has gotten rid of credit card debt thanks to her Signature HomeStyles business—that’s all the motivation I need to keep going! I love helping women who can then help other women start their own Signature HomeStyles businesses, too.

The final entry deadline for the 2013 edition of the Stevie Awards for Women in Business is September 25.  Complete entry detail are available at www.StevieAwards.com/Women.

About Madolyn Johnson
Madolyn Johnson is the founder and CEO of Signature HomeStyles.  She celebrates more than four decades at the helm of this one-stop home organizing and decorating resource, which has also become a catalyst for thousands of successful female entrepreneurs. Madolyn Johnson is frequently recognized as one of the top woman business owners in the nation.

About Signature HomeStyles
Signature HomeStyles offers an exclusive line of hundreds of versatile and beautiful organizing and decorating essentials including baskets, linens, pottery, wall decor, and holiday decorations. The products are available throughout the U.S. and Canada exclusively through thousands of trusted sales representatives who have built successful businesses.

Summer's over, it's back to work, and it's time to open the preliminary round of judging for the 2013 (10th annual) Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run.

You're invited to apply to participate in the judging process, which takes place online.  Interested?  Apply here.

As a judge you'll read and rate nominations submitted to the Women in Business awards by organizations all around the world.  You'll be able to participate online, at your convenience, any time day or night, through October 6.  Being inspired and educated by the stories of high-achieving women around the world is only the best benefit of being a judge.  You'll also receive a certificate of appreciation, suitable for framing, and you'll be acknowledged on the awards website (see last year's judges here) and in the November 8 awards dinner program.

And the two judges who review the most entries in the women awards will be offered two tickets to the awards dinner.

Go ahead, take the leap and apply to be a Stevie Awards for Women in Business judge.  You'll be glad you did!

Questions about the judging process?  Let us know.