Elise Hernandez

Ideal System Solutions, Inc.

Elise Hernandez is the President and CEO of Minnetonka, Minnesota based Ideal System Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of information technology products, services and solutions since 1997, and EngageIT Resources, Inc., a staffing, placement and service company since 2008.

With a Masters Degree in Business, and several years of sales and management experience, Elise continues to expand her business enterprise with the recent acquisition of a local unified communications company, Excel Systems, Inc.

Elise is involved in numerous nationwide organizations, has been the recipient of many awards, including last year’s NAWBO Established Woman Award, and is active in her community.  

Barbara Rosenzweig

Dental People, Inc.

Barbara Rosenzweig has a critical message that she is eager to impart to women:

“Never give up, because it’s never, ever too late.”

Barbara should know. Three years ago, at age 47, she was a stay-at-home mom who sold Mary Kay, when her husband gave her a highly unusual Mother’s Day present — her own staffing business. Her husband was aware of the acumen with which she ran her Mary Kay operation, and he was eager to see what she could do with a business of her own.

It turned out she could do very well. The sales for the dental-office staffing organization, Dental People, had been stagnant when Barbara took it over. But she poured over business books and developed a business plan, a marketing plan, and sales program. In the process, she discovered, hidden underneath her nurturing exterior, a competitive, Type-A personality. Before Barbara bought the business, there wasn’t even a website. Now employees and customers have access to the company 24/7.

Barbara has been recognized by her peers and was recently named 2009 Emerging Women Business Owner of the Year by The National Association of Women Business Owners – Minnesota Chapter.

Barbara has inspired everyone around her. She proudly recalls an anniversary card she received from one of her dental hygienists. “I’ve been with you for one year,” it said. “And you have changed my life; my husband and I can now afford our own home.”

She has also been an inspiration not only to her husband, Attorney Barry Rosenzweig, but also to her 3 daughters: Lauren (15), Sydney (13) and Taylor (10), who have seen first-hand how she has been able to be a success in business and still not give up the ability to be a full-time mom.

Dental People, Inc. staffs exclusively dental offices and clinics. Dental People, Inc. is locally owned and serves the entire state of Minnesota.

Robin Kocina

Kocina Branding & Marketing Companies, Burnsville, MN

Robin is a 2005 Luminary Award winner.

Sarah L. Sladek

Limelight Generations

Sarah L. Sladek sits on the national board of directors for the National Association of Women Business Owners where she has been charged with helping the organization engage young entrepreneurs.
 
Sarah is the president and CEO of Limelight Generations, one of the only generational companies in the United States focused on recruiting, retaining, managing, and marketing to generations X, Y, and Z. She started the business in 2002 and has authored two ground-breaking books on the generational topic--Rock Stars Incorporated: Hiring the High-Performance, High-Maintenance Hotshots Half Your Age (2008) and The New Recruit: What Your Association Needs to Know About X, Y, & Z (2007).
 
Sarah is also the founder of the RockStars@Work Conference, the nation’s first generation-themed business conference and awards program addressing the talent gap.
 
Limelight Generations is organized as a Minnesota Keystone Company, giving 2% annually to community needs. The company received the 2008 Innovative Business Award from the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and a Quality of Life Award in 2006.

Jeri Meola

Satisfaction Management Systems, Minneapolis, MN

Our 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award winner is Jeri Meola of Satisfaction Management Systems.

After 20 years, Jeri has these words of wisdom to offer; be passionate about helping your customers and be passionate about your community. She has been a member of NAWBO for 18 years and the first women’s group she joined for business advice was NAWBO’s very own Mastermind. Her current board involvement is with WomenVenture, United Way Women’s Leadership Council and Minnesota Council for Quality. She’s had the privilege to provide customer and competitive data and insights over the years to many local companies such as Wells Fargo, Toro, Datacard, Honeywell, Imation and Salo.