WIC Release
March 5, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bay Area professional organization increases momentum and attracts high profile directors
San Mateo, CA – March 5, 2007 – Women in Consulting (WIC), a San Francisco Bay Area organization of seasoned professional consultants, today announced its 2007 Board of Directors, which includes four new executives as well as a continuing affiliation with several senior leaders. With a mission to accelerate WIC’s already strong momentum and growth, the all-volunteer Board includes some of the best minds in Bay Area consulting:
- President – Karilee Wirthlin continues for a second year as President. Under her leadership, WIC has made major strides toward expanding WIC’s services and benefits to consultants all over the Bay Area, including the growth of satellite groups serving San Francisco, San Jose and the Peninsula. Her company, KL Consulting, is a leading website strategy firm that works with executives of leading Silicon Valley companies such as Borland, BEA Systems, Business Objects, Hyperion and NVIDIA to shape and implement their web visions. Karilee was recently named to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal “40 under 40” list, which highlights the best and brightest talent under age 40 who are part of the next generation of leadership in Silicon Valley;
- Vice President – Sherry Prescott-Willis, former principal of Prescott Marketing, and founder of Market This Strategy, continues as Vice President. With more than 17 years of marketing experience in both consumer and high technology products, Prescott-Willis works with early and mid-stage companies to develop effective product marketing and strategic marketing initiatives that drive revenue and impact the customer;
- Treasurer –Jennifer Berkley, owner and founder of The Insight Advantage, continues on as WIC Treasurer. Her firm helps businesses integrate customer insight to make key business decisions while keeping current and emerging customer needs in mind;
- Director of Marketing – Avery Horzewski, owner and founder of AVE Consulting, works with companies of all sizes to develop collateral and web content that is easy to understand, persuasive and effective. She was previously the WIC Secretary;
The following four executives are new to the Board:
- Director, Strategic Audiences – Celeste Bishop steps into a role that is designed to attract the most successful consultants and executives to the WIC Board of Advisors. Celeste is founder and President of Bishop Market Resources, a marketing agency that assists companies, teams and individuals on how to productively compete using classic and web-based marketing and sales strategies, planning and tactics;
- Director of Membership – Deborah Plumley is Principal of The Plumley Group, a consultancy that helps companies plan and execute work meetings and interactive workshops that yield breakthrough results and performance. Deborah was previously WIC Education Co-Chair;
- Secretary – Jan Richards, the head of J.G. Richards Consulting, helps companies clarify their vision, goals and priorities, create strategic and action plans, and implement effective process management to yield greater profits. Jan was a national Baldrige Award examiner for five years;
- Director of Partnerships – Linda Popky is President of Leverage2Market Associates, a strategic marketing company that helps organizations improve their return on marketing programs, processes and people. She was formerly the liaison between WIC and the Society for the Advancement of Consulting (SAC).
Wirthlin commented on WIC’s continued growth and momentum: “Going into our 10th year, WIC is stronger than ever,” she said. “Our focus this year is on expanding the reach of WIC through our Leaders Network, the local satellite groups and through technology offerings such as teleseminars. WIC members are committed to building strong businesses, and WIC provides the support and resources that are an integral part of an individual’s success.”
Over the past decade, WIC has become an important resource for both consultants and Bay Area companies seeking experienced professionals to serve in a wide range of disciplines, including marketing, organizational development, human resources, financial planning, technical skills and more. WIC’s free online membership directory is an excellent tool for businesses to identify high quality consultants without paying finders fees common to other professional consulting networks.
WIC offers its members and guests an active schedule of networking and educational events, as well as a multitude of online information and tools for managing a consulting business. WIC’s email community boasts more than 500 professionals who use the forum daily to find partners, subcontractors and other resources.
About WIC
Women in Consulting is a dynamic organization of over 500 members and affiliates who are seasoned professional consultants in more than 30 specialties, ranging from engineering to financial advising and marketing. Our mission is to create a community of consultants that work together to build strong businesses through networking and skills development. A nonprofit corporation, WIC was established in 1998 as a collaborative community to foster successful consulting practices for its members. For more information, visit www.womeninconsulting.org.
For More Information
Renee Maler
Philosophy PR + Marketing
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com
