Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 18, 2011

4

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain Views News Saturday, June 18, 2011

by La Quetta M. Shamblee

This past Thursday, the 
patio outside the spacious 
Crawford Family Forum at 
KPCC Radio’s headquarters 
on South Raymond Avenue 
in Pasadena was abuzz with 
conversation as guests began 
to arrive for a reception 
shortly before 6 p.m. There 
were a few clusters of empty 
chairs still available at 7 p.m. 
when Women At Work’s 
Board President, Pixie 
Boyden took the microphone 
to welcome almost 200 guests 
to the second annual “Why 
Women Succeed” event. 
This one was tailor made 
for entrepreneurs, current 
and aspiring. After Boyden 
introduced the moderator, 
Cynthia Kurtz, a panel of five 
dynamic and accomplished 
business women kept the 
audience intrigued for 
almost two hours during 
the lively and informative 
presentation co-hosted by 
Women At Work and 89.3 
FM KPCC radio. 

Kurtz, President and CEO 
of the San Gabriel Valley 
Economic Partnership, is 
the former City Manager for 
the City of Pasadena. She 
was masterful and quick-
witted as she introduced 
each panelist and facilitated 
the discussion that was 
followed by an engaging Q 
& A with the audience. The 
diversity of business interests 
among the panelists made 
it even more interesting as 
they shared bits about their 
backgrounds, how and why 
they chose to go into business 
for themselves and some of 
the challenges they face.

The businesses ranged from 
home-based businesses 
that started with little to no 
money, to a multi-million 
dollar corporation that 
required a group of well-
heeled investors. A common 
theme expressed by all of 
them was the critical roles 
that passion, sacrifice and 
hard work play in starting 
and building a business. Each 
of them shared practical 
advice, insights and tips. 
This ensured that everyone 
in the audience would walk 
away with something useful 
to think about, or do, to start, 
run or grow a business.

The panelist included the 
following business owners:

Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire 
is President of Berkhemer 
Clayton, a Retained 
Executive Search Firm. She 
is the co-host of the weekly 
“Unfinished Business” radio 
program on KFWB 980FM. 

Paula Gallemore is founder 
of Fashgal, an online 
design studio that features 
handmade one of a kind and 
limited edition scarves, neck 
ruffs, wraps and kerchiefs 
with varied textures, 
patterns, colors and beaded 
trimmings.

Bonnie Henderson is 
co-owner of Bonnie B’s 
Smokin’ Barbeque Heaven, a 
restaurant that has garnered 
prestigious Zagat ratings 
during its first two years. 
In 2010, it received the 
designation as “Pasadena’s 
Best New Restaurant “ by 
the Pasadena Weekly.

Hilary Lentini is the owner 
of Lentini Design, a full-
service, graphic design 
firm with a reputation for 
original and compelling 
campaigns and projects. 
She has created Her firm 
has won 27 national design 
awards, 15 of them for 
public sector clients. 

Diane Schultz is CEO of 
Cyber-Rain , a corporation 
making headway with a 
product that the Weather 
Channel referred to 
as “A sprinkler system 
with a brain.” It uses the 
technology of the internet 
to determine weather and 
related conditions to adjust 
the timing, amount and 
frequency of irrigation. 
Business Week recognized 
Schultz as one of America’s 
Most Promising Socially 
Conscious Entrepreneurs.

Rush hour traffic didn’t deter 
attendees who travelled from 
as far away as Torrance and 
Santa Monica. Based on the 
post-event networking, it 
was well worth the drive and 
time spent to hear and learn 
from the panel. Clearly, they 
have figured out how to keep 
things moving in the right 
direction in the midst of a 
challenging economy and 
they were more than willing 
to share.

Visit www.womenatwork.
org to learn more about 
the upcoming Early Bird 
Entrepreneurship Workshop 
and other courses and 
activities. Women At Work 
is a nonprofit agency with the 
mission to help individuals 
realize their career and 
earning potential.

WHY WOMEN SUCCEED PANEL FEATURES TOP 
LOCAL ENTREPRENUERS

By Helen Simmons Conroy 

Feet stomping, hands clapping, 
there we were, performing 
a mini-flash mob dance as 
opening entertainment at 
the ACS Mini-Relay on the 
Camino Grove field. School 
principal, Dr. Brook Reynolds, 
took his turn doing some 
fun solo moves, encircled by 
twelve Girl Scouts donning 
purple t-shirts, two teachers, 
our school office manager, and 
Jonie Tsuji, event coordinator. 
Held on June 3, this was just 
the beginning of an afternoon 
dedicated to promoting hope, 
fun, community, and cancer 
education. 

With approximately 200 people 
in attendance, we enjoyed 
not only the mini-flash mob 
dance, but henna tattoos, hair 
painting, health related games, 
and physical fitness activities. 
Thirsts and appetites were 
satisfied with Jamba Juice, 
Subway sandwiches, and an 
abundance of healthful fruits 
and vegetables, ranging from 
apples to zucchini. Children 
and adults alike traveled from 
station to station learning 
about the negative effects of the 
sun and smoking, and positive 
effects of exercise and eating 
right. Students and parents 
from other Arcadia Unified 
elementary schools and Dana 
Middle School joined us, some 
holding school banners while 
walking the track.

This ACS Mini-Relay for 
Life was a dream come true 
for event Coordinator, Jonie 
Tsuji. As a breast cancer 
survivor and parent of two 
boys attending Camino Grove, 
Tsuji, 43, not only successfully 
provided students with cancer 
education in a way that was 
engaging and kid-friendly, 
but reached her donation goal 
of $5,000. As of June 13, the 
event has raised $5,210.63 for 
the American Cancer Society. 

Though Tsuji was the 
inspiration, vision, and soul 
behind the event’s success, 
credit is also due to many 
others. It couldn’t have begun 
without the support of Camino 
Grove principal, Dr. Brook 
Reynolds, and Camino Grove 
parents, teachers, and students 
who helped plan and run 
the event. The involvement 
of other Arcadia District 
elementary schools, Dana 
Middle School, and Arcadia 
High School Senior volunteers 
was also crucial to its success. 
In addition, tremendous 
support came from Arcadia 
Unified School District 
Food Services, community 
organizations, such as the 
Girl Scouts (troop#s16591and 
6531), and businesses 
including Arcadia Sign 
Company, Carmine’s Italian 
Restaurant, Subway - Arcadia, 
Zach’s Wax, Super Pets, La 
Roux Salon, Take Care Health 
Systems, Coast Produce, 
Fresh & Easy – Arcadia, 
Dave & Buster’s – Arcadia, 
Jamba Juice – Duarte, Arcadia 
Weekly, Arcadia’s Best, Sierra 
Madre Mountain Views News, 
Pasadena Star News, and San 
Marino Tribune. 

Our school communities came 
together, dancing, caring, and 
fighting for cancer research, 
support, and education. 

Flash Mob Dance kicks off American Cancer 
Society Mini-Relay for Life, hosted by Camino 
Grove Elementary School


Camino Grove Teacher, Helen Conroy; Camino Grove Principal, Dr. Brook Reynolds; 
and event coordinator, Jonie Tsuji, enjoying the festivities at the ACS Mini-Relay for Life.

Photo by Scott Lopez.


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