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A Letter from the Gala Co-chairs |
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Dear RWN Supporter,
Thank you for supporting RWN’s 30th Anniversary Gala. RWN is proud of it’s heritage, it’s members and the women of Greater Rochester who have contributed to the economic development of the Region.
On October 15, 2008 we celebrated the impressive contributions of the Women Leaders of Rochester. These stellar individuals have infused the region with millions of dollars in revenue, thousands of new jobs, innovative technologies and significant cultural and educational contributions.
You were a part of RWN’s history as we honored the founding mothers of the organization and introduced new programs for the women leaders of tomorrow. Thank you again for being a part of passing the baton to the women leaders of tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Esther Maltese & Bonnie Wetzel
Gala Co-Chairs
Rochester Women’s Network recognized more than twelve women with the 1st "Vital Women, Vital Roles" Recognition Award for their dedication to the growth and advancement of women’s entrepreneurship and economic development at the RWN’s 30th Anniversary Gala at the Bausch and Lomb Wintergarden.
Recipients included:
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Recipients
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Biography
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Dee Alexander
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Dee Alexander has spent three decades as a radio and television personality, community volunteer, emcee, commercial spokesperson and supporter of programs for women and youth. For more than twenty years, Dee headlined the popular Rochester morning radio program, “Tony and Dee in the Morning.” Dee currently plies her trade at the radio stations of Entercom Broadcasting in Rochester (WBEE, WBZA, WCMF, WPXY and WROC-AM) and is a spokesperson for Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning.
Over the years, Dee has helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars by donating her time to Rochester area organizations and by raising money through the Rochester Area Community Foundation. A member of the Community Advisory Council of the YWCA, Dee has worked with and supported numerous other Rochester based programs, including many for women and youth, such as the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, Hillside Family of Agencies, and BOCES’ Project Adept. She especially enjoys spreading the word about lesser known, grass-roots programs.
A New York City native, Dee earned her BFA in Commercial Illustration from Syracuse University and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Honors include being a two-time Athena Award nominee, the Women in Communication’s Matrix Award, Women First Award from the YWCA, the Salvation Army’s Catherine Booth Award, Radio Broadcaster of the Year from R.I.T., the March of Dimes Mother of the Year, and Friend of the Child from the Monroe County Youth Services Quality Council as well as numerous other community service recognitions.
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Ursula Burns
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Ursula M. Burns is president of Xerox Corporation and is a member of the Xerox Board of Directors where she oversees the corporation Global Accounts, Information Management, Corporate Strategy, Human Resources and Ethics, and Marketing Operations. Burns joined Xerox in 1980 as a mechanical engineering summer intern. She since held several positions in engineering including product development and planning. In June 1991, she became the executive assistant to the Xerox chairman and chief executive officer. From 1992 through 2000, Burns led several business teams including the office color and fax business, office network copying business, and the departmental business unit. In May 2000, she was named senior vice president, Corporate Strategic Services, and two years later assumed the role of president, Business Group Operations. Burns earned a BS from Polytechnic Institute of New York and a MS in mechanical engineering from Columbia University. She serves on several professional and community boards; American Express, Boston Scientific, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, National Academy Foundation, National Association of Manufacturers, and the University of Rochester. |
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Virginia Cornyn
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VIRGINIA R. CORNYN is retired from Xerox Corporation, Rochester, NY and now resides in Hillsboro, OR. She serves as a volunteer for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children), Transition Projects, Inc., SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) and St. Mary’s Cathedral choir. She also serves as a judge for ORTOP FLL and judged the FIRST Championship. Virginia is also the founder and president of the Cornyn Foundation, a family foundation working to help women and children become self sustaining.
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Founding Mothers
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In 1978, two women, Jane Plitt and Mona Miller lamented over lunch how men had “their” network, but women often struggled alone with the gender wage gap, sexual harassment, the lack of quality childcare, the absence of women on corporate boards, the need to know about good job opportunities, and the need to find balance in our lives. They wondered what would happen if they called a meeting together of all interested, local women to discuss forming some lose network to help each other.
They prepared a flyer, asked the women they knew to pass it on to their friends and colleagues, scheduled a lunch at the Top of the Plaza, and invited New York State Labor official Linda Tarr-Whalen as the keynote speaker.
The turnout was overwhelming; every room in the restaurant was filled. They were excited and the message was loud and clear; local women desperately wanted a network. The Rochester Women’s Network was launched in 1978 with the promise that there would be no committee meetings or organizational responsibilities for members to juggle. Ha; were they naive!
Thirty years later, the group, is alive and well, with paid staff, many dedicated members who have given generously of their time and talents. RWN has set membership records nation-wide, become a valued community institution, been bold enough to revisit its mission, and honest enough to keep working on how best to be an inclusive organization for all working women. Yet, the very issues that caused the group to first form remain; perhaps some day we will be able to celebrate women’s true equality in the workplace. Until then, hooray for the RWN!
Rochester Women’s Network thanks the many women involved in creating this dynamic organization including: Jane Plitt (pictured seated), Mona Miller (pictured standing), B.J. Mann, Louis Spivak, Janis Dowd, Lynn Fowler, Ellie Hamilton Cushing |
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Kate Gleason
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Born on November 25, 1865, Kate Gleason was the daughter of a machine-tool factory owner. When she was 11 years old she asked her father if she could work in the shop which was unheard of for a girl at that time and surprisingly he agreed. Not coincidentally her father supported the suffrage movement and her mother was a close friend of Susan B. Anthony. By the age of 14 she was the company bookkeeper. Kate studied Mechanical Arts at Cornell University. She left Cornell before completing her studies to help her father at Gleason Works. By 1893, Kate led sales and finance within the business and she was instrumental in the overall success of the company both domestically and internationally. Kate eventually left the family business and added a number of careers to her growing list of accomplishments. She was the first woman elected to membership in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She traveled extensively. She designed affordable housing for the working class. Kate Gleason died on January 9, 1933.
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Martha Matilda Harper
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Groundbreaking entrepreneur, Martha Matilda Harper became a servant at seven years of age and spent twenty-two years in domestic service in Canada. She immigrated to Rochester, New York at age thirty-five and continued in service for three more years. Encouraged by Susan B. Anthony and her activist circle, Harper struck out on her own, opening the area’s first public hair care salon. Defying her destiny as a servant girl, Harper is a forgotten international business visionary who launched America's first business format franchising system in 1891.
Harper's new business model became her revolutionary tool to transform poor women into business owners. The result was a worldwide empire of over 500 Harper Method health-conscious hair and skin salons and a team of thousands of women known as Harperites. Using Harper's floor-length hair as an advertising tool, this image of her became identified with the Harper distinctiveness.
Delighted customers included suffragists, government leaders, and actresses. Among them were Susan B. Anthony, Presidents Wilson and Coolidge, First Ladies Coolidge, Roosevelt, Kennedy and Johnson, and Helen Hayes.”
— From www.MarthaMatildaHarper.org — |
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Ruby Lockhart
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RUBY LOCKHART is the Executive Director of Garth Fagan Dance. When one considers the arts, culture and the advancement therein of women and children in the Greater Rochester community, the persona of Ruby P. Lockhart immediately comes to mind.
Over the past five years, Ruby Lockhart has labored relentlessly, during some disconcerting periods in the arts and culture sphere, to ensure that the Garth Fagan Dance Company is able to affect the lives of women and girls. Ruby has seen it as a pleasure and a privilege to work to assure that the dance company remains in Rochester so that our local women and girls can benefit. |
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Angella Luyk
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Angella Luyk started Midnight Janitorial in 2005 with the belief that you could treat people with respect, offer a quality job at a fair price and still be successful. The people she hires become part of her family; they are given Turkeys at Thanksgiving, Easter baskets, Christmas stockings, birthday presents and more. Recently Luyk started a new program where her employees are paid up to 4 hours a month to volunteer for a charity of their choice. Midnight Janitorial has grown from 2 employees to 28, and sales reaching a half million dollars in 3 short years. Angella is actively involved in Junior Achievement, were she teaches inner city school kids job and interview skills. She is also actively involved with the Rochester Women’s Network as co-chair of Membership, co-chair of Ambassador committee, and works on the orientation committee. She is active on the JSEC labor board, helping to bring seminars to Rochester for small businesses. She has co-founded a networking group called FreeNet that helps small businesses come together and form relationships. In 2007 Midnight Janitorial was a finalist in the Rochester Business Ethics award, and has been invited back this year. |
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Honorable Patricia D. Marks
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Patricia Marks was elected as a Monroe County Court Judge in 1984 and re-elected in 1994 and 2004. She presides over felony criminal and Supreme Court civil matters. Patricia also served as Acting Supreme Court Justice, Family Court Judge and County Court Judge in Nassau, Albany, and all counties in the seventh judicial district. Since September 2006 Patricia has been the presiding judge of both Rochester Drug Treatment Court and Mental Health Court. Prior to being Monroe County Court Judge, Patricia was Assistant District Attorney of Monroe County where she served in various capacities, including City Court, County Court and Grand Jury. As Assistant District Attorney Patricia specialized experience with Violent Felony Offense Bureau and as Chief Attorney for Economic Crime Unit. Before her days as Assistant District Attorney Patricia was a Legal Assistant for Monroe County Department o Social Services where she was responsible for Family Court appearance and litigation related to child support matters. Patricia has been involved with several organizations and activities including Pretrial Services Corporation board of directors, Board member of Russian American Rule of Law Consortium and Advisory Board of the Emotionally disturbed Persons Response Team Of the Rochester Police Department. |
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Rose Nichols
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ROSE MARIE NICHOLS is Executive Director of Administration & Finance for New Life Ministries, Inc. Mrs. Nichols became involved in Women of Hope Business Camp, which is to infuse hope and excellence by teaching young women fundamental business and life skills so that they have the courage to do great things in business and in life according to the gifts God has given them. In addition, the vision included encouraging these same young women to return to their communities to make a positive difference at school, work and home. Rose Marie Nichols instantly caught hold of the vision and began implementing the vision. |
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Dr. Coral Surgeon
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Coral Surgeon, M.D. is President of Women Gynecology & Childbirth Associates, PC,and a board certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist. She is active in various medical, professional and community organizations.
Coral Surgeon, M.D., FACOG received her undergraduate degree from Columbia University and her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Buffalo in 1980 where she also received a National Medical Fellowship. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at the University of Rochester, Strong Memorial Hospital and its affiliated hospitals in 1984. She is a Fellow in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, becoming board certified in 1986 and recertified in 1996 and 2006. She is a Clinical Associate Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Surgeon is the recipient of the Highland Hospital OB/Gyn Resident Teaching Award and the Association of Professors in OB/Gyn – Excellence in Teaching Award in 2004. She sees patients in our Brighton and Webster offices. |
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Abby Wambach
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Abby Wambach was the USA’s leading scorer in the 2003 Women’s World Cup, with three goals, including a critical header in the team’s 1-0 quarterfinal win over Norway. She entered the 2004 Athens Olympic Games with an impressive streak of 14 goals in 16 games. After the World Cup, Abby was named U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year for 2003. The award capped a stellar year that also included a WUSA Founder’s Cup Championship with the Washington Freedom, a WUSA scoring championship (shared with Freedom and WNT teammate Mia Hamm) and MVP honors in the Founder’s Cup final.
At the University of Florida, Abby was named All-SEC for four straight seasons, conference Player of the Year twice, and led the Gators to the NCAA Final Four in 2001, her senior year. Abby made her WNT debut with the Nike U.S. Women’s Cup in 2001. In 2002, she was the second player taken in the WUSA draft, and became Hamm’s teammate on the Washington Freedom.
By 2003, Wambach and Hamm were the WUSA’s most lethal scoring tandem, combining for 66 points as the Freedom stormed to the league title. When not playing soccer, Abby unwinds by playing video games, listening to music and reading. She likes mountain biking and camping, and would someday like to hike the Appalachian Trail. |
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Christine B. Whitman
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Christine Whitman serves as Chairman, CEO, and President of Complemar, Inc., and managing partner of CSW Associates. Previously Christine served as Chairman, President and CEO of CVC, Inc., a semiconductor manufacturing equipment company that she took public and sold in 2000. Additionally Christine is a co-founder of Greater Rochester Enterprise, a private sector initiative working toward increasing business investment into the Greater Rochester. Ms. Whitman also serves as member of the Board of Directors of SemiZone, Inc., Los Altos, CA; Soleo Communications in Fairport, NY; iDashes, Inc., Pittsford, NY and Voiceport in Pittsford, NY. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Rochester Institute of Technology where she chairs the Trustee’s Education Committee and serves as Vice Chair of the RIT High Tech Incubator. She is also Chair of the Rochester Museum and Science Center, member of the Greater Rochester Enterprise Board of Directors, the Al Sigl Partners Foundation Board of Governors, the Halcyon Hill Foundation Board of Advisors and the Greater Rochester United Way Board of Directors. She has previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of SEMI/SEMATECH, the Industrial Management Council, the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of Frontier Telephone of Rochester and on the Board of M&T Bank. Christine received her BA from Syracuse University.
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249 Highland Avenue