EDWARDSVILLE, ILL., MAY 6, 2009... The Winning Women organization recently honored three female Metro East leaders at the second annual awards dinner held at the St. Louis History Museum. Jo Kathmann, President of the Tourism Bureau of Southwestern Illinois; Kerry Smith, Founder of the Illinois Business Journal; and Karla Olson Teasley, President of Illinois American Water; were among 12 women recognized by the organization at the April 29th event.
"Winning Women is thrilled to be the first to bring together the Metro East, the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County to honor and recognize women in the region for their economic contributions," noted Michelle Esswein, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Winning Women.
Esswein, along with Madison County Board Chair Alan Dunstan, introduced the Metro East winners at this year's Women Influencing Now Awards Banquet. The winners were selected from 75 nominations of successful women within the categories of public service, entrepreneur and business executive. The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois served as an event co-sponsor.
Kathmann was recognized in the public service category for her efforts in boosting tourism through her leadership role with the Tourism Bureau of Southwestern Illinois. Since 2002, Kathmann has helped create jobs and has led the Southwestern Illinois tourism industry through several years of consecutive growth in the nine counties operating under the bureau, which has translated into a constant growth in revenue.
Smith was the Metro East winner in the entrepreneur category, gaining recognition for launching a publication that spotlights business growth and investments in Southwestern Illinois. Since founding the Illinois Business Journal in 2000, the publication has served as Southwestern Illinois' only business-to-business publication and has more than 18,000 readers.
Teasley captured the award in the business executive category of the Metro East for the positive impact she has made on the local community while working to provide clean water to 1.2 million Illinoisans with Illinois American Water. Since joining the company just over two years ago, Teasley has strengthened customer, regulatory and local government relationships and has increased the company's operational and financial results.
Patrick McKeehan of the Leadership Council applauded Winning Women for hosting an event to highlight the contributions of women throughout our region. "We appreciate the continued efforts of the Winning Women organization to draw our attention to the important role women have in building and shaping our economic future. This was a great opportunity to put a spotlight on some very deserving individuals, especially those representing the Metro East region."
Other winners for 2009 included: Laurna Godwin, Co-Founder of Vector Communications; Marcia Mellitz, President and CEO of the Center for Emerging Technologies; Linda Leonard, Vice President for the St. Louis RCGA; Maxine Clark, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.; Suzanne Carole Magee, Co-Founder, President and CEO of TechGuard Security, LLC; Linda Goldstein, Mayor of Clayton and General Manager of CI Select; Joy Howard, owner of WM Financial Strategies Inc.; Vicki Schneider, President of Schneider Construction Company; and Denise Liebel, Executive Director of the Community Council of St. Charles.
About Winning Women
Winning Women is a non-profit organization that brings together some of the St. Louis region's most influential female business leaders to foster business growth and development, to increase the visibility of women's contributions and to demonstrate that women can achieve at any level. Its mission is to contribute to the region's economic development in business, education, government, health initiatives and to reinforce the region's position as a desirable community in which women can build successful careers, businesses and family lives.
About the Leadership Council
The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois is a member-based, economic development corporation representing Madison and St. Clair counties. The Council works to attract/retain jobs and stimulate capital investment through its coalition of leaders in business, industry, labor, education and government. These effective partnerships serve as a driving force behind successful economic development efforts in Southwestern Illinois and the metropolitan area.
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