News

The monthly newsletter of the River City Express Network received a regional newsletter award at the District IV Regional Conference of the American Business Women's Association in Annapolis, MD on May 15. Editor Marianne Lawrence (shown at right in photo) received the award from ABWA National Secretary-Treasurer Lynne Drowne.

Newsletter submissions are judged by non-ABWA members and must adhere to specific guidelines. Judged on appearance (30%) and content (70%), five newsletters are chosen for this award. The winners from the six district conferences are eligible to compete for national awards at the ABWA National Women's Leadership Conference in October.

The River City Record has received a regional award in each of the nine years of its publication and national awards in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009.

To view the latest issue of the Record, click here. 

River City Express Network will nominate Trina Willard to the 2011 Top Ten Business Women of ABWA.

Each year, 10 ABWA members are recognized nationally for exceptional career achievements when they're chosen as the Top Ten Business Women of the American Business Women’s Association.

They are women who’ve excelled in meeting career goals and enhancing their education. They give back to their communities and take time for their families and themselves. The Top Ten represent success and serve as important role models for our members.

Each chapter and network in the Association has the opportunity to have a Top Ten nominee.

The eligibility requirements are that the nominee be currently employed, be a current or past chapter/network officer, have been an ABWA member for at least three years, be a member in good standing, both nationally and locally and be nominated by her Express Network.

Candidates are judged on criteria established by ABWA national headquarters and are asked to answer a number of questions about their personal goals, ABWA historical profile, formal education, career accomplishments and community involvement.

Trina is Vice President at Transformation Systems, Inc. TSI is an executive strategies and management systems engineering firm dedicated to keeping leaders in motion and making organizations leaner, faster, better and smarter. They have three consulting offices in Virginia and 20 employees.

At TSI, Trina specializes in the design and implementation of measurement and evaluation programs. Her client list includes the U. S. Department of the Navy, the U. S. Marine Corps, the Supreme Court of Virginia and the American Red Cross.

Trina has been a member of RCEN since 2003 and has served on the Biz Fair, Programs and Nominating Committees and as Vice President of Communications. She is currently serving as Vice President of Programming for the network.

She has participated in many RCEN activities outside of our regular meetings and helped plan the “Girls Night Out” event for ABWA’s 2004 national conference held here in Richmond. 

Trina says her ABWA experience has given her “the opportunity to develop professionally, achieve leadership positions, and perhaps most importantly, establish an extensive and well-rounded professional network.”

Trina will send her official Top Ten candidate form to national headquarters. A panel of businesswomen from the Kansas City area is selected to judge the 2011 Top Ten candidate applications. The 10 women selected from this process are notified by national headquarters in July.
 

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Mary Foley has been named 2010 River City Express Network Woman of the Year

The American Business Women’s Association’s Woman of the Year program was designed so chapters and Express Networks can annually recognize a member who has made notable contributions and outstanding achievements. It’s a great honor - a big "pat on the back" from ABWA friends and colleagues.

Each network/chapter creates its own selection process. River City Express Network has established a nomination form and judging process. Nominees are judged on participation in River City and ABWA activities, educational and career accomplishments and community involvement.

This year’s judges were: Kathy Gallagher, 2008 American Business Woman of ABWA, Lighthouse Point, FL; Emily Mayhew, 2004 Top Ten Business Woman, Altavista, VA; and Barbara Torres, 1996 National Secretary-Treasurer and 1982 Top Ten Business Woman, Albuquerque, NM.

Mary is the Woman in Charge at Bodacious! Ventures. An author, speaker and radio host, Mary has been an active member of RCEN since joining in 2006.

She has worked with the Biz Fair Committee and has chaired the Community Partnerships Committee for two years. She has attended several district and national ABWA conferences and has taken her show on the road, speaking to ABWA groups across the country.

Last year, Mary produced a promotional CD about River City Express Network, along with a special nail color “River City Red”!

The Selection Committee says, "Mary is an enthusiastic and committed member of ABWA and RCEN and we are proud to honor her as our 2010 Network Woman of the Year!"
 

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The Executive Board of River City Express Network (RCEN) recently appointed Ashley Stefanko to serve as Vice President of Resource Development. She will serve through July 2010.

Ashley has been a member of RCEN since September 2008 and has most recently served as a member of the Membership Committee. The Vice President of Resource Development is responsible for developing and maintaining the network’s relationships with corporate partners and sponsors and coordinating fundraising efforts. These activities were previously managed by the Vice President of Marketing & PR.

Ashley is a Sales Representative with Liberty Mutual. 

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RCEN celebrates member authors Mary Foley, Kate Hall, Lillian Lambert, Laura Posey and Casey Quinlan at “River City Writes” on Monday, March 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.  Attendees will have the opportunity to meet each of them one on one.  Each author will talk about her book, followed by a period to answer individual questions and to sign books. 

Their books cover topics from growing your business to personal growth to a children’s guide to historic Richmond.  We are proud and honored that these talented and accomplished authors are members of River City Express Network!  Please join us and enjoy this unique event.  Refreshments will be served.

The location is NeighborWorks Resource Group, 2712 Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222.  There is a parking lot behind the building.  Space is limited!   Make your reservation today at rivercityexpressnetwork.org. The cost is $20 for RCEN members, $25 for non-members.  For more information, contact Roxi Saultz-Dikteruk at roxi.saultz@suntrust.com or call Roxi at 804-553-9157.

download event flyer here

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Roxi Saultz-Dikteruk has become the first to become a Member Sponsor of River City Express Network. The board recently approved Roxi’s suggestion that sponsorship opportunities be made available to members who might wish to contribute individually, rather than as a company or organization.

 Member Sponsors will receive guest passes based on the level of giving plus listings in the RCEN newsletter and on the network website. Contributor levels will be designated by precious gems: Diamond for $1,000 with eight guest passes; Emerald for $750 with six passes; Ruby for $500 with four passes; Sapphire for $250 with two passes; and Amethyst for $100 with one pass. All or part of the contribution can be made directly to the national ABWA scholarship program.  

Roxi has become a Ruby level Member Sponsor. A 31-year member of ABWA, Roxi is a systems programmer with SunTrust Bank. She is the president of the Richmond chapter of the Central Virginia Browns Backers, the official fan club of the Cleveland Browns. Roxi joined RCEN in 2002 and has served on the board since 2008 as VP of Marketing and PR and VP of Communications.

For information on becoming a Member Sponsor, contact Laura Pence.
 

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River City Express Network is proud to have been recognized by the American Business Women's Association as a "best practices" network for the 2008-2009 network year.

ABWA Executive Director Rene Street cited RCEN for the network's annual planning process and "clear, easy to understand and well thought out goals." She also commended RCEN programs, "outside the meeting" events and the network website.

The award was presented at the 2009 ABWA National Women's Leadership Conference September 26 in Kansas City, MO. Shown at awards ceremony in the photo at left (left to right): ABWA 2008-2009 National President Vicki Marlett, RCEN members Mary Foley, Marianne Lawrence and Cindy Mims, ABWA 2008-2009 District IV Vice President Pam Carvell.

RCEN received the Best Practices/Diamond Award, ABWA's highest award for networks, in 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

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The monthly newsletter of the River City Express Network received a national newsletter award at the ABWA National Women's Leadership Conference in Kansas City on September 26. Editor Marianne Lawrence (shown at right in photo) received the award from ABWA National President Vicki Marlett.

Newsletter submissions are judged by non-ABWA members and must adhere to specific guidelines. Judged on appearance (30%) and content (70%), five newsletters are chosen for this award at the national conference. RCEN's newsletter received an average score of 97 (on a 100 point scale) from the three judges.

The River City Record has received a regional award in each of the eight years of its publication and national awards in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009.

To view the latest issue of the Record, click here. 
 

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Two River City Express Network members completed the ABWA-KU MBA Essentials program at the 2009 ABWA National Women's Leadership Conference.

Cindy Mims and Marianne Lawrence began the program in 2003 and completed the coursework at this year's conference in Kansas City. They were presented their certificates at the ABWA-KU MBA Essentials Graduation ceremony on September 26. Shown in photos: Dr. William L. Beedles, Professor of Finance, University of Kansas, Center for Management Education, presenting to Cindy (top photo) and Marianne.

The program, a joint venture of the American Business Women's Association and the University of Kansas School of Business, delivers master’s degree level basics in critical business subjects. Participants complete 12 day-long courses in four modules: The Enterprise Environment, Competitive Analysis Tools, Organizational Systems and People and Strategic Leadership and Management.

This program is geared to business professionals at all levels and is designed to significantly enhance a business woman’s knowledge of management principles and critical thinking skills through exposure to a variety of functional disciplines and real-world situations. Courses are presented at the annual ABWA National Women's Leadership Conference (generally four per year).
 

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