In anticipation of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day on November 19, Dr. Gloria Sweida, Assistant Professor of Management and Marketing at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), is hosting the inaugural Women’s Entrepreneurship Panel on November 15. The event aims to celebrate women leaders and entrepreneurs and is free to participants who register online. The panel will feature three successful women entrepreneurs:

Pam Duffy: Owner of Rhodey Construction, a family business in commercial construction for over 50 years. Duffy oversees communication with clients and employees, project management, and essential business functions. Rhodey Construction is listed among the top 10 women-owned businesses in St. Louis.

Mara “Mitch” Meyers: An SIUE alumna who began her career in brand management with the 7-Up Company. Meyers launched Bud Light using the “Spuds McKenzie” concept and later formed Zipatoni Company, which grew to 350 employees and offices in five states. She is also a partner in businesses such as Maison de Chanticleer, CasaMima, The BeLeaf Company, and BeLeaf Medical Company.

Dr. Jennifer Nguyen: Managing partner and co-owner of CMA Global, an international consulting firm working with companies worldwide on talent development, team building, leadership, and strategic vision. Nguyen manages various aspects of the business, including team engagement and finances.

The panel aims to discuss the challenges, barriers, and engagement factors for women entrepreneurs. Dr. Sweida, who led the 2022 STL Business Owner’s Study, emphasizes her passion for women leaders and entrepreneurs, and the event aligns with her research focus. She plans to create a women’s leadership speaker series and hopes the entrepreneurship panel becomes an annual event.

The diversity of the panelists’ backgrounds and business ventures adds to the richness of the event. Duffy represents a female CEO in the male-dominated field of commercial construction, Meyers is a serial entrepreneur with a diverse portfolio, and Nguyen exemplifies starting at the lowest level and working her way to the top within a company.

Sponsors for the event include Archford Strategies and Anders CPAs + Advisors. Dr. Sweida envisions a women’s leadership event in the spring, focusing on women in specific industries, particularly non-traditional ones to provide more role models for women.

Read More: https://ciowomenleaders.com/