Businesswomen
convene, ponder next level at second annual women’s symposium
You’ve come a
long way, baby. Anyone who was around in the 1960s will remember
that popular advertising campaign theme for Virginia Slims, a
cigarette marketed to women by the Philip Morris Company. The
campaign promoted Virginia Slims by celebrating the continued
emancipation and independence of women. It worked.
But while
smoking no longer symbolizes women’s success and independence, the
role of women in business has grown exponentially since the ‘60s. It
was the subject of the second annual Women in Business Symposium:
Taking Your Business to the Next Level. Volusia County is home to
more than 2,400 women-owned businesses that employ an estimated
20,000 workers, according to Rick Michael, director of the Volusia
County Department of Economic Development. “With more and more women
driving companies to success, often as owners, the audience for this
event is growing accordingly,” he said.
Maryam Ghyabi,
president of Ghyabi & Associates, chaired the event. “This was
presented for women who own businesses or play a critical role in
their companies,” said Ghyabi. “Volusia County is fortunate to have
so many women business leaders. We are inspired by them, and through
this event, we honor them.”
Lesa France
Kennedy, president of International Speedway Corporation and a
member of the NASCAR board, was the keynote speaker at the event
that was held at Daytona Beach Community College and attended by
more than 150 businesswomen. She spoke of the need to be creative
and take risks in business. As the president of a high-profile
corporation, she told of her experience on the subject as her
company finalizes plans for the $100-million redevelopment of its
office park, which will yield 600,000 square feet of mixed use
space. The company also is seeking to establish motorsports tracks
in New York City and Seattle. It’s all a part of how she and her
colleagues are working to move ISC to the next level.
Tourism leader
Blaine Lansberry, Stead Family Associates, which owns the Bahama
House and Best Western Aku Tiki Inn, echoed Kennedy’s comments.
Lansberry has played a key role in the evolution of tourism in the
region and is an active community volunteer. In her comments, she
stressed the importance of strategic relationships in elevating
one’s company to the next level.
Maggie
Wilderotter, chair and CEO of Citizens Communications, the nation’s
seventh
largest telecommunications provider, also participated. Her company
recently celebrated the start of operations in DeLand with a
telecommunications complex that will provide 487 new jobs. The
facility operates under the name Frontier Communications Solutions.
The symposium included breakout sessions relevant to women who are
leading companies.
The Women in
Business Symposium was presented by the Volusia County Department of
Economic Development and Daytona Beach Community College with
support from Brown & Brown; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University;
Ghyabi & Associates; Frontier Communications; ICI Homes;
International Speedway Corporation; Gale Lemerand; SunTrust and the
Workforce Development Board of Flagler and Volusia.
