Entrepreneur of the Year Lee Rhodes will speak at the inaugural Tri-Cities Women in Business Conference Jan. 24 at TRAC in Pasco. Contributed photo.
Lee Rhodes, the founder of glassybaby, and Entrepreneur magazine’s 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year, will be the keynote speaker at the inaugural Tri-Cities Women in Business Conference.
The event, hosted by the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, is 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 24 at TRAC in Pasco.
The conference will provide entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners with the critical skills, knowledge, tools and support they need to succeed, said Lori Mattson, Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce president and CEO.
Mattson said the chamber intentionally set the event in January, when many business owners are setting goals and developing their strategies for the upcoming year.
Although the conference will highlight the role of women in business, there’s something for everyone.
“We have assembled an impressive panel of presenters to discuss pertinent and relevant break-out topics of interest to women in the business world, covering aspects of both personal and professional development,” said Mattson.
Paula Linnen, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s associate laboratory director, will be the first speaker, giving the welcome and a morning motivational address.
Morning breakout sessions are: “Blazing to the Top: Navigating Your Career,” by Roxie Schescke of Indian Eyes and Carol Johnson of Washington Closure Hanford; and “Protecting Your Personal Brand,” with Vicki Monteagudo of Century 21, MM3 and Rachael Drouhard of Imageworks.
The afternoon breakout sessions include: “Secrets Only the Etiquette Pros Know,” with Sharon Brown, Kennewick’s mayor pro-tem and Peggy Vasquez of PNNL; “How High-Achieving Women Find Work/Life Balance,” by Melanie Schmitt, Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business and Sandra Kent, Washington River Protection Solutions; and “Real Women: Real Conversations in Health and Wellness,” by Dr. Emma Grabinski, OB/GYN Kennewick General Hospital and Dr. Deepa Upadhyaya, Cardiologist, KGH.
Staci Wanichek, founder of Wine Away, will give her story from 3:15 – 4 p.m. to wrap up the afternoon.
But the highlight of the event will be the luncheon, during which Rhodes will speak.
Rhodes’ founded glassybaby, which creates and sells hand-blown glass votives and vases, while she was fighting cancer and raising three small children. She filled her colorful votives with tea lights and scattered them throughout her home, finding great hope, comfort and healing in their color and light.
From the start, Rhodes made goodwill the foundation of glassybaby and to date, the company has donated more than $650,000 to charities dedicated to healing and quality of life.
Glassybaby now has three Seattle-area stores and one in New York City. Sales are expected to reach $6 million in 2011.
And this month Rhodes was honored as Entrepreneur magazine’s 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year.
“Ms. Rhodes has a very inspirational story to share and we’re certain our participants will come away from the conference motivated and encouraged to reach their personal and professional goals,” said Mattson.
The luncheon will also feature the presentation of two Athena Awards. The Athena Awards honor individuals, businesses and young professionals who have achieved professional excellence, actively serve the community and help women reach their leadership potential.
“The 2012 Tri-Cities Women in Business Conference is the first of what we expect to be an annual signature event for the region,” said Mattson.
Individual all-day tickets for the conference are $85, which includes a continental breakfast and the ATHENA luncheon. Tickets for the ATHENA Luncheon only is $30. Tickets are available by calling the Chamber at 735-0510. For more information, go to www.tricityregionalchamber.com.
by Mary Hopkin
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
