Monday, November 8, 2010
Pittsburgh Roger's and Hammerstein's South Pacific, Historically and Artisticly--Smash Success
ROGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S
SOUTH PACIFIC
Presented at the Benedum Theatre, Pittsburgh, Pa.
November 2-6, 2010
I’d like to know where they got that audio of a twin-row Pratt & Whitney Wasp bolted to what must have been an F6 Hellcat or TBF Avenger thundering unseen across the stage about twenty feet up in the rafters. The first time I ducked; the second time I grinned. A big grin.
And who built that incredibly accurate stage prop of a Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bomber? The story takes place during the 1942 US invasion of Guadalcanal Island. We were losing the war. Marines were clinging to the island’s airfield and the Navy was getting the pounding of its life by Japanese warships sneaking in at night. Coastwatchers like le Becque were critical in spotting these enemy ships and alerting our forces. The TBD, once the most modern torpedo bomber in the world, had by this stage in the War slid down to an obsolescent old deathtrap, too weak to fight and too slow to run away. But it was all we had, so our pilots went up again and again and once in a while some even came back.
The partial model on stage is absolutely authentic and compellingly accurate right down to its rivets, its folding wing, the small panes of its canopy used because in 1935 when the aircraft was first built we didn’t have the technology to mold large, clear bubbles, and its correct wing star markings for that period of the war. Somebody besides this writer knows their World War II Navy aircraft and no mistake about that.
And this is as it should be. Lt. James Michener , USN, author of Tales of the South Pacific from which the musical emerged, was a meticulous researcher. As a naval historian, he was sent to the South Pacific to make the Navy’s record of events. Michener usually got around pretty well because his last name, pronounced with two syllables, was often mistaken for the son of Navy Admiral Marc Mitscher. Well, whatever works, works. The accuracy and detail in these sets and sound effects do great honor to the name of a major American writer and father of the play itself.
Like every Harley Davidson motorcycle built in the last generation, the musical production South Pacific has become a pleasing hostage to its own idiom, a household fixture in American culture. You don’t tug on Superman’s cape, and you don’t mess with the original 1949 casting. Nobody would cast Knucklehead Nelly as a buxom brunette, or Emil de Becque as a twentysomething tenor. Nelly has got to be Mary Martin, Emile must be Ezio Pinza or pretty damned close.
Close enough, at least, so when we walk out of this Bartlett Sher performance, our footsteps wafting several inches above the pavement from the power and beauty to which we have just been treated, Pittsinger’s de Becque and Pinza’s can mesh in our souls to nine decimals. And they do.
Cusack’s Nelly, which is to say Cusack’s Mary Martin, is a flawless powerful amalgam of tough Navy officer and ineffably sweet little Arkansas runaway. Hard to miss in her performance is the quintessential American woman balancing her femininity between soul searching prejudice and glorious loving fulfillment. As, over time, must we all.
In fact, the plot was originally designed to turn on prejudice, moved along by Nelly’s aversion to de Becque’s black children from a previous relationship, and Cable’s reluctance to expose Liat to the prejudice he knew she will encounter in upscale Philadelphia. And therein lies my single criticism.
What was timely and even advanced thinking six decades ago simply doesn’t play today. Nobody cares whether kids are black or white or red with little green spots. They’re just kids and we love them. Actually, a more believable motivation for modern audiences would be Nelly rejecting de Becque not because of his black kids but because he’s French. Works for me.
Moreover, in today’s world, the transplanting of a lovely south seas beauty from the lush tropics to dank, noisome Philadelphia might cause some tongues to drag on the ground but not to wag with gossip. Yes, Virginia, you can bring home just about anybody you want nowadays and if they have a Green Card and no parole officer they’re likely to be welcomed.
I point this out, not to carp, but to praise. Hammerstein and Josh Logan’s book and Rogers tunes are so powerful and flow together so seamlessly that they completely overshadow what today might otherwise be a serious flaw in the story line. The musical is simply so good that who cares about a bunch of plot stuff anyway? Just listen to Cusack and the girls belting out Honey Bun, my personal favorite, or Pittsinger taking the audience’s chin in his hands and gazing into our eyes with his This Nearly Was Mine…and then tell me what you don’t like about the plot.
In other words, the reviewer loved this thing to pieces, at Pittsinger’s Some Enchanted Evening wept along with the rest, and would have hidden himself away in the theatre to sneak into the next night’s performance if he’d had the foresight to bring a couple of sandwiches to sustain him through the night.
Bravo, you guys; you did good.
reviewed by
Dr. Robert Beeman
author of No More Time for Sorrow
http://drrobertbeeman.com
This blog post may be produced in its entirety with the following information
(c) PositivelyPittsburghLive 2010
http://positivelyPittsburghLivemagazine.com or http://pplmag.com
Publisher: Joanne Quinn-Smith 412-628-5048
Sunday, September 12, 2010
PositivelyPittsburghLive, Celebration of the 19th Amendment in Pittsburgh, 8-23-10
Positively Pittsburgh Live! 8-23-10
Celebration of the 19th Amendment in Pittsburgh
Positivelypittsburghlive.com is proud to be a sponsor of the Celebrate and Share event celebrating the passing of the 19th amendment that gave women the right to vote. Tonight’s conversation is about this important milestone in our history.
Today’s Guests
Anne Marie Gire, Women’s Independent Press
Selena Schmidt, Power of 32
Bonnie DiCarlo,
JoAnn R. Forrester
Today’s Discussion
· The 90th anniversary of the amendment that gave women the right to vote will be celebrated on Thursday by Celebrate and Share, an organization that features the achievements of women.
· Celebrate & Share was founded by Bonnie DiCarlo and JoAnn R. Forrester in 2002, the year in which they also restarted this celebration of the 19th amendment in the Pittsburgh area.
· Bonnie DiCarlo and JoAnn R. Forrester are both experienced entrepreneurs, strong community activists, and politically savvy, as are Anne Marie Gire of Women’s Independent Press and Selena Schmidt of the Power of 32.
· What does the 19th Amendment mean to these Ladies?
· What is the history of the celebration of the 19th Amendment and why do we celebrate it?
· What are the unresolved issues that we face as women though we have the gained the right to vote? What is the next challenge?
CELEBRATE AND SHARE CELEBRATES THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT
Celebrate & Share invites you to Breakfast on August 26 At the Rivers Club. Honor the passage of the 19th amendment and Celebrate with us and with the women who did and continue to do the difficult and almost impossible here. The celebration will include a Panel discussion entitled, “The Politics of Business, The Business of Politics”.
Special guest:
· Barbara Hafer, First Woman Allegheny County Commissioner, Former Pennsylvania State Treasurer, Pennsylvania State Auditor
Panelists:
· Jann Chirdon - Political strategist
· Amanda Green Hawkins, Esquire - Counsel for United Steelworkers of America, Allegheny County Council member
· Selena Schmidt - Executive Director, Power of 32
· Elisabeth Bennington, Esquire - Pollock Begg Komar Glasser LLC
The United States ranks 84th in the world of elected women officials and
PA ranks 46th in the nation.
Celebrate and Share
Since 2002, this organization has been dedicated to raising funds for women and children in need and highlighting the achievements of women in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. Celebrate & Share has raised over $160,000 through events. Over 150 women have been recognized for their contributions to the Greater Pittsburgh region. The long term goal of the Women of Achievement event is to establish a permanent Women’s Hall of Achievement.
ABOUT OUR GUESTS
Anna Marie Gire
· Volunteer Work at:
-Women’s Center and Shelter
-Pittsburgh Action Against Rape
-Harmony Hospice
· Began publishing in 2003:
-First, the Women’s Independent Press, a general interest newspaper
-Then, the Women’s Yellow Pages (WYP) of Greater Pittsburgh
-And finally,the Women’s Independent Press newsletter online, www.womensindependentpress.com, providing information, articles of interest and a listing of events/ workshops/conferences and meetings. Events can be posted for profit and nonprofit businesses/organizations free of charge.
· Member of
-The Power of 32
-The Women’s Group of the American Forest Foundation
Selena Schmidt
· Currently trains and facilitates workshops on leadership, advocacy and strategic planning for corporate, community and nonprofit clients
· Positions:
-Project Director for the Power of 32 – the largest regional visioning project ever undertaken
-Pittsburgh Regional Alliance Champions Business Development Board Chair
-Director of Leadership Development at the Coro Center for Civic Leadership
-Served as Pittsburgh City Council President’s Chief of Staff
-Elected Chapter President and National PAC board member
-Sits on several boards including Strong Women Strong Girls, Global Pittsburgh, -Pittsburgh Green Project and Friends of the Riverfront
-Appointed to the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) Policy Advisory Committee
· Accomplishments
-Reformed Pittsburgh’s Ethics Code; changed policies across the country for women, young leaders, land-use
-Grassroots advocacy and organizing including the election of Allegheny County’s first African-American woman to county office
-Crafted significant legislation including funding for new policies and procedures for domestic violence, legislation requiring the city conduct a workforce Gender and Race Pay Equity study and a landmark revision of the Municipal Ethics Code.
-Rookie and Public Policy Advocate of the Year
-Graduate of the Yale Campaign School for Women and Leadership Pittsburgh
-Recognized as a 2009 Woman of Achievement, Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40, and inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
Bonnie DiCarlo
· Worked as a financial planner for over 28 years with Allegheny Investments, concentrating on women and small businesses
· Presented seminars at many institutions including Carlow University, Chatham University, YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, LaRoche College, and Point State Park University
· Taught as an Associate Professor at CCAC, Carlow University and Duquesne University
· District 3 Director for Business & Professional Women
· Accomplishments
-Served on many Boards including The Pittsburgh Camerata, Bethlehem Haven, NAWBO, Carnegie Library of Homestead, Thomas Merton Center, Financial Planning Association, and is a long-time member of the Pittsburgh Guild of organists.
-Received the YWCA Tribute to Women Award
-Named one of The PA Best 50 Women in Business
and the SBA's Women's Advocate for Small Business Owners
-Well known throughout Pennsylvania for her support of and strategy for electing women to public office
-Can often be seen on PCNC-TV as a political analyst
JoAnn R. Forrester
· Co-host of Empress of Biz Talkcast (http://tinyurl.com/EmpressofBiz) and APoliticalPoint.com.The Point is. (http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/81413)
· Founder, president and owner of S I Business Associates, a business growth management firm established in 1975
· Co founder of Celebrate & Share Women of Achievement
· Co-developed the PRICE IT PERFECT™ cost management and cost analysis program for small business
· NAWBO Board member & Past President
· Accomplishments
-Over 75,000 hours of experience in teaching, consulting, human relations and business development classes, seminars and individual consultations
-Secured 40 million dollars in loans and investment for her clients
-Recognized by numerous organizations, including the Small Business Administration (Women Business Champion 1989 and 2000), as a Pennsylvania Best 50 Women (1999) and a 2010 YWCA Tribute to Women Honoree.
JoAnn R. Forrester
Office: 412-440-6969
Cell: 412-670-4322
To hear this episode of Positively Pittsburgh Live in its entirety go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=389622&cmd=apop
Delana Flowers is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent writer and owner of Ingenuity by Delana Flowers ©, writing effective copy so you don’t have to. Services include copywriting for newsletters, blogs, ad copy, marketing pieces, articles, reviews, invitations, postcards, flyers and more.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
PositivelyPittsburghLive Talkcast, Pittsburgh LinkedIn Groups 8-9-10
Positively Pittsburgh Live! 8-9-10
LinkedIn Groups
Have you ever considered why linkedin users start linkedin Groups? Tonight's Guests are LinkedIn Group Managers.
Today’s Guests
Shannon D. Martinez, Cheers, Pittsburgh
Eric Pursh, Marketing Pittsburgh
Meenakshi Kapoor, NAWBO Pittsburgh and ASAWE (Association of South Asian Women Enterpreneurs)
Curtis and Cassandra Brown, Mobile Marketing in Business Engage and Inform
Shannon D. Martinez
• An award winning sales leader and payroll expert
• A BS in Marketing from Southern NH University
• “Sold” her way up the corporate ladder
• Regional Account Manager at Payroll Solutions in Whitehall, responsible for sales and marketing in the Pittsburgh Area
LINKEDIN GROUP: CHEERS, PITTSBURGH
I started my linked in group to
• Inform people about CheersPittsburgh.com
• Increase my professional and personal credibility
• Extend my sphere of influence
• Establish myself as a leader in Pittsburgh event information and where to go
CheersPittsburgh.Com
One of the many reasons I started CheersPittsburgh.com is to give businesses and individuals a free resource. Businesses are able to list their establishments and events at no cost on our online directory. CheersPittsburgh.com is “Pittsburgh’s where to go and what to do website!”
Shannon Martinez
Cheers, Pittsburgh!
412-428-9570
shannon@cheerspittsburgh.com
Curtis and Cassandra Brown
• Husband and wife team, owners of Jireh Mobile since 2005
LINKEDIN GROUP: MOBILE MARKETING IN BUSINESS...ENGAGE & INFORM
• Now up to 74 members, several are from other countries
• 200th member gets free text messaging for a year
• Inform people about Jireh Mobile
“Facebook is friends and people you went to college with but you can’t do business with them. We wanted to engage and inform people about Mobile Marketing, how to use it and how not to use it.”
Jireh Mobile
• A mobile marketing solutions company
• Firmly established itself as a leader in interactive mobile campaign and database management.
• Examines mobile marketing, social media trends and placing high priority on the end-users experience
Eric Pursh
• Degree in marketing and MBA (with a concentration in marketing management)
• Over 13 years’ experience in industry.
• Social media junkie
LINKEDIN GROUP: MARKETING PITTSBURGH
I created the Marketing Pittsburgh group to:
• Facilitate networking between marketing and communications professionals and small business owners that are trying to develop business in the Pittsburgh area.
Gemini Media Group
• A copy, scan, and print center
• Provides document services to Pittsburgh’s legal, non-profit and business communities
• Offer related marketing services that include
o graphic design and desktop publishing
o print brokerage
o print-on-demand solutions
o self-publishing assistance
o mailing and variable data
o social media marketing consulting
o electronic media/eBook creation
o Ad specialties/promotional items
Eric Pursh
412-715-6262
eric@gemini365.com
Gemini Media Group LLC
www.gemini365.com
Marketing Pittsburgh
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1802808
Meenakshi Kapoor
• President Elect of NAWBO Greater Pittsburgh (National Association of Women Business Owners)
• Owner of Symphony Enterprises LLC
• A Member of Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
“It is all about relationship and getting connected. No business works without connection and LinkedIn is all about finding connections and contacts.”
LINKEDIN GROUP: ASAWE (Association of South Asian Women Entrepreneurs).
• Bringing women business owners who are from south Asian countries to one platform
• Help them promote their business
• Help each other by supporting and giving suggestions
• Members from Srilanka, India, Nepal, US, and Pakistan
LINKEDIN GROUP: NAWBO GREATER PITTSBURGH
• Business owners getting connected with each other
• Find potential business and resources among group members
Meenakshi Kapoor
Symphony Enterprises LLC
412-437-1064 (Tel)
www.symphonyenterprises.com
To hear this episode of Positively Pittsburgh Live in its entirety go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=384852&cmd=apop
Delana Flowers is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent writer and owner of Ingenuity by Delana Flowers ©, writing effective copy so you don’t have to. Services include copywriting for newsletters, blogs, ad copy, marketing pieces, articles, reviews, invitations, postcards, flyers and more.
LinkedIn Groups
Have you ever considered why linkedin users start linkedin Groups? Tonight's Guests are LinkedIn Group Managers.
Today’s Guests
Shannon D. Martinez, Cheers, Pittsburgh
Eric Pursh, Marketing Pittsburgh
Meenakshi Kapoor, NAWBO Pittsburgh and ASAWE (Association of South Asian Women Enterpreneurs)
Curtis and Cassandra Brown, Mobile Marketing in Business Engage and Inform
Shannon D. Martinez
• An award winning sales leader and payroll expert
• A BS in Marketing from Southern NH University
• “Sold” her way up the corporate ladder
• Regional Account Manager at Payroll Solutions in Whitehall, responsible for sales and marketing in the Pittsburgh Area
LINKEDIN GROUP: CHEERS, PITTSBURGH
I started my linked in group to
• Inform people about CheersPittsburgh.com
• Increase my professional and personal credibility
• Extend my sphere of influence
• Establish myself as a leader in Pittsburgh event information and where to go
CheersPittsburgh.Com
One of the many reasons I started CheersPittsburgh.com is to give businesses and individuals a free resource. Businesses are able to list their establishments and events at no cost on our online directory. CheersPittsburgh.com is “Pittsburgh’s where to go and what to do website!”
Shannon Martinez
Cheers, Pittsburgh!
412-428-9570
shannon@cheerspittsburgh.com
Curtis and Cassandra Brown
• Husband and wife team, owners of Jireh Mobile since 2005
LINKEDIN GROUP: MOBILE MARKETING IN BUSINESS...ENGAGE & INFORM
• Now up to 74 members, several are from other countries
• 200th member gets free text messaging for a year
• Inform people about Jireh Mobile
“Facebook is friends and people you went to college with but you can’t do business with them. We wanted to engage and inform people about Mobile Marketing, how to use it and how not to use it.”
Jireh Mobile
• A mobile marketing solutions company
• Firmly established itself as a leader in interactive mobile campaign and database management.
• Examines mobile marketing, social media trends and placing high priority on the end-users experience
Eric Pursh
• Degree in marketing and MBA (with a concentration in marketing management)
• Over 13 years’ experience in industry.
• Social media junkie
LINKEDIN GROUP: MARKETING PITTSBURGH
I created the Marketing Pittsburgh group to:
• Facilitate networking between marketing and communications professionals and small business owners that are trying to develop business in the Pittsburgh area.
Gemini Media Group
• A copy, scan, and print center
• Provides document services to Pittsburgh’s legal, non-profit and business communities
• Offer related marketing services that include
o graphic design and desktop publishing
o print brokerage
o print-on-demand solutions
o self-publishing assistance
o mailing and variable data
o social media marketing consulting
o electronic media/eBook creation
o Ad specialties/promotional items
Eric Pursh
412-715-6262
eric@gemini365.com
Gemini Media Group LLC
www.gemini365.com
Marketing Pittsburgh
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1802808
Meenakshi Kapoor
• President Elect of NAWBO Greater Pittsburgh (National Association of Women Business Owners)
• Owner of Symphony Enterprises LLC
• A Member of Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
“It is all about relationship and getting connected. No business works without connection and LinkedIn is all about finding connections and contacts.”
LINKEDIN GROUP: ASAWE (Association of South Asian Women Entrepreneurs).
• Bringing women business owners who are from south Asian countries to one platform
• Help them promote their business
• Help each other by supporting and giving suggestions
• Members from Srilanka, India, Nepal, US, and Pakistan
LINKEDIN GROUP: NAWBO GREATER PITTSBURGH
• Business owners getting connected with each other
• Find potential business and resources among group members
Meenakshi Kapoor
Symphony Enterprises LLC
412-437-1064 (Tel)
www.symphonyenterprises.com
To hear this episode of Positively Pittsburgh Live in its entirety go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=384852&cmd=apop
Delana Flowers is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent writer and owner of Ingenuity by Delana Flowers ©, writing effective copy so you don’t have to. Services include copywriting for newsletters, blogs, ad copy, marketing pieces, articles, reviews, invitations, postcards, flyers and more.
Monday, August 16, 2010
PositivelyPittsburghLive, Tribute to Women, 5-10-2010
Positively Pittsburgh Live! 5-10-10
A Tribute to Women Leadership Awards
Since it was established in 1983, the A Tribute to Women Leadership Awards has become one of Pittsburgh’s most prestigious events recognizing women’s accomplishments. Through this annual luncheon, the YWCA celebrates the achievements of women and honors those who distinguish themselves in performance and leadership in their fields and in the Greater Pittsburgh community. This year the YWCA will recognize seven women in the following categories:
• Business & Industry
• Entrepreneur
• Health Services
• Civic & Community Service
• Education
• Human Services
Guests/Award Winners:
Allerton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Alma Speed Fox, President, Freedom Unlimited
Business and Industry
Bernadette Eyler Smith, Senior Portfolio Manager, Fifth Third Private Bank
Entrepreneur
JoAnn Renk Forrester, Business Owner and Consultant, SI Business Associates
Health Services
Debra Caplan, Senior Vice President, Allegheny General Hospital, West Penn Allegheny Health System
Civic & Community Service
Kathleen W. Buechel, Executive director, The Benter Foundation
Senior Lecturer and Director, Philanthropy Forum
GSPIA, University of Pittsburgh
Education
Josephine B. Moore (Jodie), President and Co-Founder, The Neighborhood Academy
Human Services
LaVerne Baker Hotep, Director of Community Arts & Education, Center for Victims of Violence and Crime
These women have shaped our community and improved the lives of others – they are innovators, visionaries and advocates. The selected awardees have advanced the goals of the YWCA – the empowerment of women and the elimination of racism. We are pleased to celebrate their continued accomplishments.
This year’s luncheon event is Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at the Westin Hotel, from 12:00 noon until 1:30 p.m. This event is in it’s 28th year, dating back to 1983. Over 200 women have been honored since then. In 28 years, this is only the 10th time that the Allerton Award for Lifetime Achievement has awarded.
“The YWCA award means so much to me. Their mission, “Eliminating Racism. Empowering Women,” dovetails with my personal passion. I feel blessed to be able to actively contribute to achieving gender equity through my volunteer roles. I feel doubly blessed to be honored by the YWCA for simply acting on my passion.” -Bernadette Smith, CFP
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
• Senior Portfolio Manager at Fifth Third Private Bank
• More than twenty years of investment management experience
• Implements tailored investment strategies for private and institutional clients.
• Responsible for managing complex fiduciary, agency and individual retirement accounts, as well as charitable endowment accounts.
• Also Managing Executive of Fifth Third’s Women's Financial Group.
• Worked for twelve years at PNC Advisors
• Spent eight years in the DC area as a trust officer with NationsBank and as a financial consultant with Prudential Securities
EDUCATION
• Graduate of Pennsylvania State University,
• Bachelor of Science in a dual major of Business Administration and French
• Holds the Certified Financial Planner designation
• Member of the Financial Planning Association
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Her passion has been gender equity for women in the US and basic civil rights for women in other countries. Her volunteer roles have been focused on women’s issues.
• On the Boards of Women & Girls Foundation, FISA Foundation, Gilda’s Club of Western PA and the Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater.
• A graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh XXIV
• Volunteers for the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
• Appointed by Gov. Rendell as a member of the Inter-branch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness in 2009
• Recently invited to become a board member for the for-profit arm of the YWCA’s Nathan Hot Dogs franchise
“It makes me sad to think that Americans do not have a sense of urgency around the issue of gender inequity. If the injustice that women endure throughout the world was inflicted on another group of people, there would be moral outrage. If, instead of “bride” burning in India, there was burning of Christians (or Jews or Blacks or any group of people) there would be protests and diplomatic intervention. The same would hold true if, instead of “female” genital mutilation, it was “fill-in-the-blank” genital mutilation. The world sits silently as the most vulnerable are persecuted dismissing the issue as “cultural.”
JoAnn Renk Forrester is an outstanding woman. Relying on a deep faith, and her strong personal convictions, JoAnn has continually worked in the community, and in her business, to help ALL people have access to the help they need to be successful.
COMITTEES
• Served five terms as the President of the Greater Pittsburgh chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners,)
• Asked by the National Board of NAWBO to revitalize the Pittsburgh Chapter
• Grew chapter from 12 members to over 100 in two years
• Under her Leadership, the Pittsburgh Chapter of NAWBO was recognized as the 'fastest growing chapter in the nation' in 2002
• Served two terms (2008-2009) as a member of the National Nominating Committee, a ten person committee selected from a membership of over 9000 members
COMMUNITY
• Actively involved in establishing WOMEN DIRECT, the largest directory of women business owners published in the United States.
• In 1995 served as the primary consultant in the study Financial Portrait Of Women Business Owners, an in-depth regional survey of women business owners and their economic strengths conducted by the SBD of Duquesne University.
CO-FOUNDER
• Co-founder, along with Bonnie DiCarlo, of Celebrate & Share, an organization dedicated to honoring Women of Achievement in the Western PA region, and raising funds for organizations that help women and children.
• Organization has raised over $125,000 through events held in March (Women's History Month,) and August, celebrating the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Women's Right To Vote.
• The long term goal of The Women of Achievement events is to establish a permanent Women's Hall of Fame for our region.
• Co-founding member of the Western Pennsylvania Small Business Network (1988) which for 20 plus years has organized and hosted the U.S. SBA Awards Luncheon in Pittsburgh. This is one of the longest serving boards in the nation to conduct an event honoring small business owners.
NOMINATIONS
Author of nominations for over 150 persons to be honored for their contributions to our community. Many have won these awards because of JoAnn's commitment to showcasing the talents and successes of her colleagues. These women received local, state and national recognition for their achievements.
ENTREPENUER
Majority owner of SI Business Associates, consultant to many corporations and firms over the last 30 years
• Women's Yellow Pages
• Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
• Women's Entrepreneurial Training Program
• The National Association of Minority Contractors/Black Contractors Association,
• Minority Enterprise Corporation
• Numerous colleges and universities
BOOKS and WORKSHOPS
• Co-authored two workbooks including 15 Steps to Writing a Successful Business Plan and "The David vs Goliath" Marketing Workbook.
• Presented workshops, seminars and panel discussions on business marketing, correct pricing, and successful business planning
TALKCAST
• Well known talkcast host on the "Empress of Biz," - Reinventing Yourself in Rugged Times on www.talkshoe.com.
• Presents and interviews women and minority business owners in order to showcase them and keep their stories as a history of small businesses in the Pittsburgh region.
Senior Lecturer, Public and International Affairs; Leader, GSPIA’s Philanthropy Forum Kathleen Buechel
Through numerous initiatives and leadership roles, Kathy Buechel has worked to enhance the participation of women and girls in education and in the new economy.
• Executive director of The Benter Foundation in Pittsburgh
• Manages the foundation’s grant making
• Founder and principal of Community Investment Advisors serving funders and foundations seeking greater impact through social investing
• Senior Lecturer in International and Public Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh
• directs GSPIA’s Philanthropy Forum
• Research Fellow and Visiting Practitioner at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University July, 2006 through December, 2007
• Co-developed funding practices and principles that foster the longer term health of nonprofits
• Visiting Practitioner at the Heinz School at Carnegie Mellon University and
• Taught sustainability strategies at CMU in the fall of 2008
• Brings two decades of philanthropic and nonprofit sector leadership to her work
ALCOA FOUNDATION
• As president of Alcoa Foundation, led the reorientation of Alcoa’s global philanthropy toward active community investment in more than 31 countries and over 200 communities
• Expanded Alcoa’s investable assets
• Directed the foundation’s operations and programs as vice president for eight prior years.
• Grew Alcoa Foundation’s assets to $500 million and grew combined contributions
• Held numerous communication, media relations, public policy and marketing roles within Alcoa before joining foundation
ORGANIZATIONS
• Vice chair of the City of Pittsburgh’s Ethics Hearing Board
• Serves on the boards of Riverlife, Carlow University, Winchester Thurston School, where she is vice president, and Vincentian Collaborative Systems.
• Vice chair of the board of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh
• A member of the Finance Council of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
• Active in a number of the nonprofit sector’s field building organizations
• Past chair of the Contributions Council of the Conference Board
• A former board member of Independent Sector
• Past president of Grant Makers of Western Pennsylvania
AWARDS
• Received awards from the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
• The Girl Scouts Trillium Council
• Chatham University
• Was an Athena Award finalist
EDUCATION
• Received an Honors A.B. in International Relations and Political Science from Brown University
• Was awarded an Arnold Fellowship, and a Youthgrant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to record oral histories of nationalist Irishwomen active from 1914-1945
• Earned a Masters of Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
To hear this episode of Positively Pittsburgh Live in its entirety go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=355479&cmd=apop
Delana Flowers is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent writer and owner of Ingenuity by Delana Flowers (TM), writing effective copy so you don’t have to. Services include copywriting for newsletters, blogs, ad copy, marketing pieces, articles, reviews, invitations, postcards, flyers and more.
A Tribute to Women Leadership Awards
Since it was established in 1983, the A Tribute to Women Leadership Awards has become one of Pittsburgh’s most prestigious events recognizing women’s accomplishments. Through this annual luncheon, the YWCA celebrates the achievements of women and honors those who distinguish themselves in performance and leadership in their fields and in the Greater Pittsburgh community. This year the YWCA will recognize seven women in the following categories:
• Business & Industry
• Entrepreneur
• Health Services
• Civic & Community Service
• Education
• Human Services
Guests/Award Winners:
Allerton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Alma Speed Fox, President, Freedom Unlimited
Business and Industry
Bernadette Eyler Smith, Senior Portfolio Manager, Fifth Third Private Bank
Entrepreneur
JoAnn Renk Forrester, Business Owner and Consultant, SI Business Associates
Health Services
Debra Caplan, Senior Vice President, Allegheny General Hospital, West Penn Allegheny Health System
Civic & Community Service
Kathleen W. Buechel, Executive director, The Benter Foundation
Senior Lecturer and Director, Philanthropy Forum
GSPIA, University of Pittsburgh
Education
Josephine B. Moore (Jodie), President and Co-Founder, The Neighborhood Academy
Human Services
LaVerne Baker Hotep, Director of Community Arts & Education, Center for Victims of Violence and Crime
These women have shaped our community and improved the lives of others – they are innovators, visionaries and advocates. The selected awardees have advanced the goals of the YWCA – the empowerment of women and the elimination of racism. We are pleased to celebrate their continued accomplishments.
This year’s luncheon event is Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at the Westin Hotel, from 12:00 noon until 1:30 p.m. This event is in it’s 28th year, dating back to 1983. Over 200 women have been honored since then. In 28 years, this is only the 10th time that the Allerton Award for Lifetime Achievement has awarded.
“The YWCA award means so much to me. Their mission, “Eliminating Racism. Empowering Women,” dovetails with my personal passion. I feel blessed to be able to actively contribute to achieving gender equity through my volunteer roles. I feel doubly blessed to be honored by the YWCA for simply acting on my passion.” -Bernadette Smith, CFP
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
• Senior Portfolio Manager at Fifth Third Private Bank
• More than twenty years of investment management experience
• Implements tailored investment strategies for private and institutional clients.
• Responsible for managing complex fiduciary, agency and individual retirement accounts, as well as charitable endowment accounts.
• Also Managing Executive of Fifth Third’s Women's Financial Group.
• Worked for twelve years at PNC Advisors
• Spent eight years in the DC area as a trust officer with NationsBank and as a financial consultant with Prudential Securities
EDUCATION
• Graduate of Pennsylvania State University,
• Bachelor of Science in a dual major of Business Administration and French
• Holds the Certified Financial Planner designation
• Member of the Financial Planning Association
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Her passion has been gender equity for women in the US and basic civil rights for women in other countries. Her volunteer roles have been focused on women’s issues.
• On the Boards of Women & Girls Foundation, FISA Foundation, Gilda’s Club of Western PA and the Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater.
• A graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh XXIV
• Volunteers for the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
• Appointed by Gov. Rendell as a member of the Inter-branch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness in 2009
• Recently invited to become a board member for the for-profit arm of the YWCA’s Nathan Hot Dogs franchise
“It makes me sad to think that Americans do not have a sense of urgency around the issue of gender inequity. If the injustice that women endure throughout the world was inflicted on another group of people, there would be moral outrage. If, instead of “bride” burning in India, there was burning of Christians (or Jews or Blacks or any group of people) there would be protests and diplomatic intervention. The same would hold true if, instead of “female” genital mutilation, it was “fill-in-the-blank” genital mutilation. The world sits silently as the most vulnerable are persecuted dismissing the issue as “cultural.”
JoAnn Renk Forrester is an outstanding woman. Relying on a deep faith, and her strong personal convictions, JoAnn has continually worked in the community, and in her business, to help ALL people have access to the help they need to be successful.
COMITTEES
• Served five terms as the President of the Greater Pittsburgh chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners,)
• Asked by the National Board of NAWBO to revitalize the Pittsburgh Chapter
• Grew chapter from 12 members to over 100 in two years
• Under her Leadership, the Pittsburgh Chapter of NAWBO was recognized as the 'fastest growing chapter in the nation' in 2002
• Served two terms (2008-2009) as a member of the National Nominating Committee, a ten person committee selected from a membership of over 9000 members
COMMUNITY
• Actively involved in establishing WOMEN DIRECT, the largest directory of women business owners published in the United States.
• In 1995 served as the primary consultant in the study Financial Portrait Of Women Business Owners, an in-depth regional survey of women business owners and their economic strengths conducted by the SBD of Duquesne University.
CO-FOUNDER
• Co-founder, along with Bonnie DiCarlo, of Celebrate & Share, an organization dedicated to honoring Women of Achievement in the Western PA region, and raising funds for organizations that help women and children.
• Organization has raised over $125,000 through events held in March (Women's History Month,) and August, celebrating the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Women's Right To Vote.
• The long term goal of The Women of Achievement events is to establish a permanent Women's Hall of Fame for our region.
• Co-founding member of the Western Pennsylvania Small Business Network (1988) which for 20 plus years has organized and hosted the U.S. SBA Awards Luncheon in Pittsburgh. This is one of the longest serving boards in the nation to conduct an event honoring small business owners.
NOMINATIONS
Author of nominations for over 150 persons to be honored for their contributions to our community. Many have won these awards because of JoAnn's commitment to showcasing the talents and successes of her colleagues. These women received local, state and national recognition for their achievements.
ENTREPENUER
Majority owner of SI Business Associates, consultant to many corporations and firms over the last 30 years
• Women's Yellow Pages
• Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
• Women's Entrepreneurial Training Program
• The National Association of Minority Contractors/Black Contractors Association,
• Minority Enterprise Corporation
• Numerous colleges and universities
BOOKS and WORKSHOPS
• Co-authored two workbooks including 15 Steps to Writing a Successful Business Plan and "The David vs Goliath" Marketing Workbook.
• Presented workshops, seminars and panel discussions on business marketing, correct pricing, and successful business planning
TALKCAST
• Well known talkcast host on the "Empress of Biz," - Reinventing Yourself in Rugged Times on www.talkshoe.com.
• Presents and interviews women and minority business owners in order to showcase them and keep their stories as a history of small businesses in the Pittsburgh region.
Senior Lecturer, Public and International Affairs; Leader, GSPIA’s Philanthropy Forum Kathleen Buechel
Through numerous initiatives and leadership roles, Kathy Buechel has worked to enhance the participation of women and girls in education and in the new economy.
• Executive director of The Benter Foundation in Pittsburgh
• Manages the foundation’s grant making
• Founder and principal of Community Investment Advisors serving funders and foundations seeking greater impact through social investing
• Senior Lecturer in International and Public Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh
• directs GSPIA’s Philanthropy Forum
• Research Fellow and Visiting Practitioner at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University July, 2006 through December, 2007
• Co-developed funding practices and principles that foster the longer term health of nonprofits
• Visiting Practitioner at the Heinz School at Carnegie Mellon University and
• Taught sustainability strategies at CMU in the fall of 2008
• Brings two decades of philanthropic and nonprofit sector leadership to her work
ALCOA FOUNDATION
• As president of Alcoa Foundation, led the reorientation of Alcoa’s global philanthropy toward active community investment in more than 31 countries and over 200 communities
• Expanded Alcoa’s investable assets
• Directed the foundation’s operations and programs as vice president for eight prior years.
• Grew Alcoa Foundation’s assets to $500 million and grew combined contributions
• Held numerous communication, media relations, public policy and marketing roles within Alcoa before joining foundation
ORGANIZATIONS
• Vice chair of the City of Pittsburgh’s Ethics Hearing Board
• Serves on the boards of Riverlife, Carlow University, Winchester Thurston School, where she is vice president, and Vincentian Collaborative Systems.
• Vice chair of the board of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh
• A member of the Finance Council of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
• Active in a number of the nonprofit sector’s field building organizations
• Past chair of the Contributions Council of the Conference Board
• A former board member of Independent Sector
• Past president of Grant Makers of Western Pennsylvania
AWARDS
• Received awards from the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
• The Girl Scouts Trillium Council
• Chatham University
• Was an Athena Award finalist
EDUCATION
• Received an Honors A.B. in International Relations and Political Science from Brown University
• Was awarded an Arnold Fellowship, and a Youthgrant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to record oral histories of nationalist Irishwomen active from 1914-1945
• Earned a Masters of Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
To hear this episode of Positively Pittsburgh Live in its entirety go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=355479&cmd=apop
Delana Flowers is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent writer and owner of Ingenuity by Delana Flowers (TM), writing effective copy so you don’t have to. Services include copywriting for newsletters, blogs, ad copy, marketing pieces, articles, reviews, invitations, postcards, flyers and more.
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