By: Richelle Rodgers, President of
NAWBO Delaware

New Beginnings for NAWBO Delaware Chapter for 2010-2011

I want to take this opportunity to let you know that I am honored to serve as President of NAWBO’s Delaware Chapter for 2010-2011. I am excited and deeply grateful to serve in this capacity. We have made some significant strides in the past and we look forward to the challenges facing Women Business Owners in Delaware.
As President, I see this as a time for “new beginnings” and “adding value” to our member services and programs for our new business owners as well as our more experienced and seasoned women entrepreneurs. We need to hear “your voice” so we can speak as “one voice” in fighting for policy issues  and programs most important to you.  We will be working at increasing our membership and exploring ways to retain our existing members through improved member services and programs.  This will be foremost in the Board of Directors minds as we embark on our planning for 2010-2011 at our “Board Retreat” schedule for August 13, 2010.
I am pleased to introduce the new Board of Directors:
Richelle Rodgers, President
Karen Miller, Immediate Past President
Mary Anne Murray, Treasurer
Kyna Baker, Director of Membership
Diane Ferry, Director of Programming
Karen Burton, Co-Chair of Programming
Cathy Imburgia, Director of Public Policy
Krista Gaul, Director of Marketing and Communications
Leila Rappaport, Director of Corporate
and Economic Development
Connie Mitchell, Director of International Development
Please join me in welcoming all of these ladies serving as Board Members for 2010-2011. Please feel  free to contact any one of us regarding any issues you may have regarding our chapter before our August 13th Board Retreat. In fact, I encourage you to do so.
I am looking forward to a rewarding and productive year for NAWBO’s Delaware Chapter. I attended  NAWBO’s National Women Business Conference held in Washington D.C. on June 9th through June 11th. Cathy Imburgia, Director of Public Policy, also accompanied me on this trip. We are excited about being in the position to bring back new ideas and current trends and policy issues facing women entrepreneurs in our current state of the economy. It hasn’t been easy for the women in our chapter, however, with the support, networking, and meaningful programs, offered by our Chapter, we will be able to tackle the problems facing our membership and we look forward to serving you.  Have a great summer and feel free to drop me a line at richellerodgers@yahoo.com regarding any issues or concerns you may have with NAWBO’s Delaware Chapter. We want to hear “your voice” and we look forward to serving you for 2010-2011.
Towards this end, the NAWBO Delaware Board of Directors will be having its Board Retreat on August 13, 2010 to set us on our new course for 2010-2011.  Additionally, we are currently conducting a Membership Survey to help us identify and respond to our members needs. We are planning a Town Hall Meeting on September 15, 2010 to share the results of the survey and to introduce our “New Board, New Beginnings” Program for 2010-2011. SAVE THE DATE!  Details regarding this event are forthcoming, please check our website at www.nawbode.com.

Richelle is a native of Philadelphia, PA, graduating from Nazareth Academy. She holds a Masters Degree in Human Resources/Labor Relations from St. Francis University in Loretto, PA. She is also a United States Vietnam-era veteran and lived in West Germany for over seven years. Currently Richelle owns her own management consulting firm and is a licensed affiliate with Axxiom Franchise Advisors, LLC. Richelle began her consulting career with the Barnes Foundation in Merion, PA and has provided museum consultative services to the Rochester Museum & Science Center, the Frederick Douglas Resource Center, and the Baobab Cultural Center, all located in Rochester, New York.

To visit the NAWBO Legislative Action Center, go to: capwiz.com/nawbo/home.
If you are not a member, please consider joining TODAY!
To register or find out more information, visit: www.NAWBODelaware.org
or call 302.355.9945 .

NAWBO Delaware: 302.355.9945
www.NAWBODelaware.org
info@nawbodelaware.org

NAWBO® National: 1.800.55.NAWBO
www.nawbo.org
national@nawbo.org