River City Express Network - Archived News

Each year, 10 ABWA members are recognized nationally for exceptional career achievements when they're chosen as the Top Ten Business Women of ABWA. Each local group in the Association has the opportunity to have a Top Ten nominee.

This year, River City Express Network has nominated Tena Krouse to the 2009 Top Ten Business Women of ABWA. Krouse is President of Y Not Now, a marketing, team-building and sales training company.

She has been a member of ABWA and RCEN since August 2003. She co-chaired the Souvenir Program Committee for the 2004 national conference in Richmond and has worked on various RCEN committees. She joined the board this year as Vice President of Programming. She has helped grow RCEN and the association by sponsoring, at last count, ten new members.

Krouse received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Strayer University and holds a Masters degree in Business Technologies from Marymount University.

She has worked with RCEN at the Central Virginia Food Bank and on several Habitat for Humanity projects. She has volunteered at the William Byrd Community House and Embrace Richmond.

Tena says she is “a walking, talking billboard for ABWA. Any time someone asks where should they network, I ‘pull out’ my ABWA commercial!”

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Sandra B. Sylvester has been named 2008 River City Express Network Woman of the Year. Sylvester (pictured at left) is President and CEO of Superior Expressions, a provider of educational products and supplies to clients throughout Virginia.

She has been a member of RCEN since July 2004 and has served on the Membership Committee, the Biz Fair Committee and as Vice President of Finance. She is currently serving as President-Elect of the network.

Sandra has been a board member of the Coordinators 2 Adoption Agency and Business Network International. She recently participated as a volunteer builder at the Habitat for Humanity Women Build.

Sandra says her ABWA experience has given her “invaluable insight as to how to become a leader in my business, home and community.”

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River City Express Network has received the American Business Women’s Association’s most prestigious honor - the Diamond Award - for the success of the 2006-2007 network year.

The Diamond Award represents the fulfillment of best practices by an ABWA Express Network. Each year a specific list of criteria is published and those networks fulfilling those criteria receive the Diamond Award. Criteria for the 2006-2007 award year included minimum membership numbers, implementation of business- and/or market-relevant programs, publishing of a network newsletter and sponsorship of member attendance at national and regional conferences.

The award was presented at the ABWA National Women’s Leadership Conference in Greensboro, NC during the Awards Session on Saturday, September 22. Mary Foley (shown at left in photo) accepted the award on behalf of RCEN from ABWA CEO Carolyn Elman.

Groups receiving the Diamond Award also receive the official ABWA Seal of Approval in recognition of best practices in group management and will be authorized to display the seal on their websites and marketing materials for the period of one year. Just three of the association's 50+ Express Networks received the award this year.

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RCEN's newsletter, the River City Record was honored as one of the best in the country at the ABWA ABWA National Women’s Leadership Conference in Greensboro, NC on September 22.  The national award recognizes outstanding achievement in content, layout and design and ABWA brand consistency. Editor Marianne Lawrence accepted the award from ABWA National President Robin Necci (at left in photo).  The Record has received regional honors in each of the six years of its publication and five national awards.

Also in the elite group of five national award winners were:

Smoke Signals, Al-Lu-We Chapter, Oklahoma City, OK
Maia Messenger, Maia Chapter, Ann Arbor, MI
The Vine, Texas Vineyard Express Network, Grapevine, TX
News and Views, Vivon Chapter, Port Huron, MI

Click here to read the current issue of the River City Record.

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The 22nd annual Richmond area celebration of American Business Women’s Day featured the presentation of awards to two River City Express Network members.

Tena Krouse, President of Y Not Now, LLC, was named Richmond ABWA Area Council Woman of the Year. Chosen from among the seven chapter and network Women of the Year, Krouse was honored for her outstanding accomplishments in education, career and community involvement.

Receiving the Council’s Scholarship Award, Marianne Lawrence was recognized for her many years of serving as a mentor, guide and teacher to local ABWA members. Lawrence is President of Triangle Resource Group.

Read more about the event in the October issue of the River City Record.

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The American Business Women's Association has recognized River City Express Network's Corporate Partnerships program with articles in two of their national publications.

"How to Get the Money, Honey!" was written by RCEN Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations for the online Express Network Newsletter's September issue.

The September/October issue of Women in Business, the national magazine of ABWA, included an article on "Creative Fundraising" by Michele Compton, staff writer. interviewed for the article, RCEN Corporate Partnerships Committee chair Leslie Winneberger shared information on how the program works.

To read the full articles, click on the appropriate link:

How to Get the Money, Honey!                     Creative Fundraising

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River City Express Network and the Network of Enterprising Women are partnering with the Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build this fall. The two groups will help raise the $65,000 it takes to build a house. On behalf of RCEN, corporate partner SunTrust has donated $5,000 to the build. Several Habitat representatives attended the July RCEN meeting and were introduced by Cindy Mims, (right bottom photo): Van Garber, Director of Development, Leisha LaRiviere Executive Director, and Lisa Bedell, PR & Events Coordinator. LaRiviere is pictured (center top photo) accepting the check from RCEN President-Elect Cherie Biddle (left) and Cindy Mims, representing SunTrust. 

River City Express Network has a long standing relationship with Richmond Habitat. RCEN members worked at the “Women Building A Legacy” house in November 2003, and since then, members have volunteered at the Habitat ReStore and participated on two other home builds.

Members are needed for the Development, Marketing and Volunteer Committees. If you would like to help, contact Cindy Mims by phone at 782-5344 or email cindy.mims@suntrust.com. 

Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity is part of a world-wide effort to change people’s lives by making it possible for them to achieve the dream of homeownership. More information is available at www.richmondhabitat.org.

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Coastal Virginia Express Network
            Norfolk, Virginia

The American Business Women's Association has approved the formation of a new Express Network in Norfolk, Virginia: the Coastal Virginia Express Network (CoVa).

Building on the success of the ABWA Spring Conference in Norfolk in April, RCEN members Cindy Mims and Marianne Lawrence met with a number of interested business women in Norfolk in June.

Mims, who will serve as Chair for the Formation Committee says enthusiasm is high for the new project. "We're feeling the same excitement we felt six years ago when we held the first River City Express Network meeting here in Richmond. Exciting weeks and months are ahead!"

The other members of the formation team are: Co-Chair, Sharron Crandall, CoastalVA Title & Escrow, Inc.; Financial Chair, Lisa DeCoste, SunTrust; Communications Chair, Sharon Barbour, CoastalVA Title & Escrow, Inc.; Communications Co-Chair, Laura Williams, SunTrust; Communications team member, Marianne Lawrence, Triangle Resource Group; Program Chair, Sandra Smith, Oast & Hook; Membership Chair, Vickie Besinger.

The first CoVa meeting is scheduled for July 10 at 7:30 am. Program information and the location of the meeting will be announced later.

RCEN members are asked to consider business colleagues in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads area who might be interested in ABWA/CoVa membership. Names and contact information should be sent to Cindy Mims.

For more information on CoVa meetings, visit the Coastal Virginia Express Network page on this site.   

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Laura Posey is River City Express Network's 2008 National Top Ten nominee

Each year, ten members of ABWA are recognized nationally for exceptional career achievements when they're chosen as the Top Ten Business Women of ABWA. They are women who’ve excelled in meeting career goals and enhancing their education. They give back to their communities and take time for their families and themselves. The Top Ten represent success and serve as important role models for ABWA members. Each chapter and network in the Association may nominate a member for the national Top Ten. There are a number of eligibility requirements and an extensive narrative section on ABWA participation, formal education, career accomplishment and community involvement.

Laura Posey is RCEN’s nominee to the 2008 Top Ten. She is Vice President of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group, a sales training firm with regional offices in Richmond and Raleigh, NC. She is co-author of the book “Six Secrets of Sales Magnets” and an established keynote speaker. Laura served as President of River City Express Network in 2002 and has been honored as Network Woman of the Year and Tri-Cities Woman of the Year. She is a founding member of the Richmond Chapter of the Executive Women’s Golf Association and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Rotary International and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce. She is a founding board member of the Hayes Hitzeman Foundation for SIDS Awareness and volunteers for Meals on Wheels and the Bright Beginnings Learning Center.  

Candidate forms are reviewed by a panel of Kansas City area business women selected by ABWA national headquarters. The 2008 Top Ten will be announced in July.

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Tena Krouse named 2007 RCEN Network Woman of the Year

The Network Woman of the Year program recognizes a member who has outstanding achievements and has made notable contributions to the network. Included in the judging criteria are: ABWA and RCEN participation, education, career accomplishments and community involvement. Tena Krouse is the President of Y Not Now, a marketing consulting firm based in Richmond. She has been a member of River City Express Network since 2002.

Tena has served as co-chair of the community involvement committee this year and has been a member of the committee for a number of years. She has been responsible for the network’s Habitat for Humanity participation and coordinated work at the Central Virginia Food Bank for two years. She has represented RCEN at local networking events and co-chaired the Souvenir Program Committee for the 2004 ABWA National Convention in Richmond. In addition to the Food Bank and Habitat, Tena works in her community with the Relay for Life, the American Heart Association and the March of Dimes. She is a member of the Hanover Humane Society and is a teacher and guest speaker at Strayer University.

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Casey Quinlan, Mighty Casey Media, was profiled in the June-July issue of the ABWA Company Connection^® national newsletter. Read or download the article here. The Company Connection® is an optional add-on service designed to benefit business owners and those whose jobs have a strong entrepreneurial component. Open to all ABWA members, the Company Connection® provides valuable tools to start or grow a business including online advertising for your company, exclusive training opportunities and resources, and online business news, trend reports and quarterly newsletters. For more information, visit www.company-connection.org.

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Exhibitors and visitors alike are raving about the 6th Annual RCEN Business Fair held May 22. RCEN members showcased their businesses and networked with other members and guests. It was standing room only for the "Let's Get Naked..." seminar presented by Smokie Sizemore and some terrific door prizes were given away. Check the latest RCEN newsletter for details and more photos. Missed it? Watch this website for information about the 2008 BizFair next spring!

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River City Express Network's monthly newsletter, River City Record, has received its sixth regional newsletter award from the American Business Women's Association. The award was presented to editor Marianne Lawrence by ABWA National President Robin Necci at the recent ABWA Spring Conference in Norfolk, Virginia. ABWA groups from Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia entered their newsletters into competition.

The Newsletter Award recognizes ABWA groups for the creativity and content of their newsletters. Chapters and networks can enter their newsletters at regional spring conferences each year. Newsletters must adhere to national guidelines and are judged on content and appearance.  The submissions are judged by non-ABWA members, with five award winners selected at each regional conference.

Those who earn newsletter awards at spring conferences are eligible to enter their newsletters at ABWA's national conference, where non-member judges select five national award winners.  

River City Record has won regional awards every year of its publication (2002-2007) and national awards in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

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RCEN member Cindy Mims has been appointed by Richmond City Council to the  Richmond Redevelopment Housing Authority (RRHA) Board of Commissioners.

Ms. Mims currently holds the position of Community Development Manager/Vice President at SunTrust.  With more than 20 years experience in the field of community development, Mims has earned distinction in a several arenas.  She has served on multiple non-profit boards; received her Leadership Certification from the American Business Women’s Association; and is a graduate of the United Way Board Management Series.

RRHA is the largest housing authority in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  RRHA serves nearly 10,000 residents and manages nearly 4,100 units through its Public Housing Program and through its various Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Programs, provides subsidized housing in approximately 2,900 units.  RRHA also manages neighborhood redevelopment and conservation programs throughout the city of Richmond. RRHA has approximately 300 employees.  

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River City Express Network kicks off it’s 2007 Children's Book Drive at the February 7 meeting. Working with Success By 6®, United Way and the Greater Richmond Chamber, RCEN members will donate new and “gently used” children’s books to the Richmond Region Book Bank.

RCEN will collect books at the February and March meetings. The need is for children’s books for ages 0 – 8, especially preschool, bilingual and baby board books. Visit your local bookstore to find the latest and greatest books. Do your spring cleaning early and donate those books your children have outgrown. Ask around your office and talk to family members. Help your children learn how good it feels to give - ask them to help collect your donation.

Everyone donating a book will receive a ticket for a gift drawing. The member donating the most books will receive the Book Buddy Award and a special gift. You could be that member!

For more details, read this month's River City Record or contact Tena Krouse at 402-1497 or tena@ynotnow.net or Robin Smith at 897-8292 or rsmith.esource@comcast.net.

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Alisa Dick, Cherie Biddle, Cindy Mims and Marianne Lawrence joined other Richmond area ABWA members aboard the Spirit of Norfolk Saturday, November 4. The cruise, sponsored by the Norfolk 2007 ABWA Spring Conference, included lunch, a tour of Hampton Roads harbor, music and dancing. Other local chapters on the cruise were Cavalier Chapter, Maggie L. Walker Chapter and Mary McLeod Bethune Chapter. 

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At its September 27 meeting, the ABWA 2005-2006 National Board of Directors appointed Karen Higgins to the 2007 National Nominating Committee. A member of River City Express Network (RCEN) in Richmond, Karen is one of three members appointed to the committee. The other members are Carol Sinks-Farmer, Indinois Chapter, Hammond, Indiana and Lynn White-Shelby (Chair), Verdugo Glen Chapter. Glendale, California.

Karen was RCEN's 2004-2005 president and is currently serving as the Richmond Area ABWA Council Chair. She is Vice President - Investment Officer with Wachovia Securities and the co-founder of Just Like Sisters LLC.

The Nominating Committee reviews all national officers nominations to qualify those eligible to seek office. The Committee Chair presents the committee's report at the National Women's Leadership Conference.

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River City Express Network's monthly newsletter, River City Record, has received it's fourth national newsletter award from the American Business Women's Association. The award was presented to editor Marianne Lawrence (at right in photo) by ABWA National President Shirley Myrick at the recent ABWA National Women's Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California.

The Newsletter Award recognizes chapter and Express Network newsletter winners from competitions held at spring conferences and the national conference. Chapters and networks can enter their newsletters at regional spring conferences each year. The submissions are judged by non-ABWA members, with five award winners selected at each regional conference.

Those who earn newsletter awards at spring conferences are eligible to enter their newsletters at ABWA's national conference, where non-member judges select five national award winners.  

River City Record has won regional awards every year of its publication (2002-2006) and national awards in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

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River City Express Network was recently presented a "Certificate of Appreciation" by Fay Lohr, Chief Executive Officer of the Central Virginia Food Bank. The network recently donated $750 from the proceeds of the Anniversary Celebration Silent Auction to the Food Bank. Lohr presented the certificate, "with our sincere gratitude for more than 6,800 meals provided through your members' generous donation."

Note: pictured in photo, left to right: Fay Lohr, CVFB CEO, Kyra Oliver, RCEN President, and Brenda Miller, CVFB Food Drive Coordinator.

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River City Express Network recently presented six members the 2006 Protégé Award. The Protégé Award is presented to members who have made significant contributions to the network during their first year of membership. Pictured here (left to right) are: Sandra B. Sylvester, Superior Expressions, LLC; Kate Houck, the Global Consulting Partnership; and Brenda Miller, Central Virginia Food Bank. Not pictured were recipients Maggi Collins, Shirley Husz and Charlyne Meinhard.

The 2006 Protégé Award is presented to members who have completed their first year of membership since August 1, 2005. The award recognizes members who have helped make River City Express Network a success by sponsoring new members, working on committees and contributing their time, talent and resources to the success of the network.

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Members of River City Express Network recently celebrated the network's 5th anniversary. In addition to the cake and balloons one would expect for a birthday celebration, the 60+ members and guests were treated to a Silent Auction and raffle. Over $3,000 in prizes were available and the competition was fierce, but (mostly) friendly!

The 2006-2007 RCEN Executive Board was installed by outgoing president Alisa Dick. (New board members are pictured on the Contact Us page of this site.) A special presentation was made to Sandy Peele of First Book. The check represented proceeds from speaker book sales at the 2006 RCEN Business Fair in May.

2006 Protégé Awards were presented (see story above) and the outgoing board was recognized for their hard work and contributions to the success of the 2005-2006 network year.

A portion of the proceeds of the meeting will be presented to the Central Virginia Food Bank. Additionally, members and guests brought peanut butter and canned tuna to the meeting to help restock the Food Bank's shelves.  

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Each year, 10 members are recognized nationally for exceptional career achievements when they’re chosen as the Top Ten Business Women of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA). They are women who’ve excelled in meeting career goals and enhancing their education. They give back to their communities and take time for their families and themselves. The Top Ten represent success and serve as important role models for our members.

Each chapter and network in the Association may nominate a member for the national Top Ten. There are a number of eligibility requirements and an extensive narrative section on ABWA participation, formal education, career accomplishments and community involvement.

River City Express Network’s nominee to the 2007 national Top Ten is Laura Posey. Laura is Vice President of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group, a sales training firm with regional offices in Richmond and Raleigh, NC. She is co-author of the book “Six Secrets of Sales Magnets” and an established keynote speaker.

Laura served as President of River City Express Network in 2002 and has been honored as Network Woman of the Year and ABWA Tri-Cities Woman of the Year. She is a founding member of the Richmond Chapter of the Executive Women’s Golf Association and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Rotary International and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

Local nominees are judged by a panel of businesswomen from the Kansas City area (where ABWA is headquartered). The ten women selected from this process are notified in early July and will be honored as the 2007 Top Ten Business Women of ABWA at the association’s National Women’s Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA, September 28-30, 2006.

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Alisa H. Dick is 2006 RCEN Woman of the Year

The American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) Woman of the Year program was designed so chapters and Express Networks can annually recognize a member who has made notable contributions and outstanding achievements. It’s a great honor - a big pat on the back from ABWA friends and colleagues. Included in the judging criteria are: ABWA participation, education, career accomplishments and community involvement.

The 2006 River City Express Network (RCEN) Woman of the Year is Alisa H. Dick. Alisa is Retail District Manager with AAA Mid-Atlantic. She has been a member of River City Express Network since 2002.

She has served on the RCEN board for a number of years, as VP Programming, President-Elect and President. She has worked on the Business Fair and ExpressEXTRA Committees and has represented RCEN at local networking events. Alisa was a member of the Credentials Committee for the 2004 ABWA National Convention in Richmond.

In her community, Alisa works with the American Red Cross “Go Red for Women” program and as a volunteer builder for Richmond Habitat for Humanity. She has been a Sunday School teacher and worked on the CARITAS and Camp for Underprivileged Youth Committees at Crestwood Presbyterian Church.

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2007 ABWA Spring Conference Scheduled for Norfolk

The ABWA National Board of Directors voted at their January meeting to hold the 2007 District IV Spring Conference in Norfolk, Virginia. RCEN members Cindy Mims and Marianne Lawrence have been asked by the ABWA conference management team to head the project. 

ABWA spring (district) conferences bring concentrated professional development opportunities and educational programs to members. Individual chapter and Express Network achievements are recognized and outstanding networking opportunities are built into the agenda.

Cindy reports, "Our first order of business was to promote Norfolk at the Hershey Spring Conference this past April. Then we recruited some terrific ABWA members to serve as officers and directors on the conference planning team.”

The benefits of involvement in the planning and execution of a spring conference are many.  A conference enhances ABWA’s visibility in the community and the local chapter/network visibility within ABWA.  A spring conference provides an excellent opportunity to recruit new members, to enlist the help of inactive members and to foster camaraderie among local chapters/networks. For individual members, it is a time of building friendships, cultivating new skills, experiencing a sense of accomplishment and, in some instances, making life/career changes. Serving as a member of the Executive Committee is an opportunity to “be in on the ground floor” - practicing and learning skills such as project management, organization, meeting and time management and team leadership.

Being involved in a conference located in an area outside your own offers possibilities for networking with new potential clients, employees and business contacts.

If your business is already in the Norfolk area, the conference and its planning are a great opportunity to introduce ABWA to your business colleagues and friends there.

"This is an exciting opportunity for our members to use their management skills in a fun atmosphere,” says Marianne. “Anyone who has worked on a conference will tell you about their terrific experience, learning new things and meeting new people."

"We need everyone's ideas and talents and look forward to hearing from the members who are interested in working on one of our planning teams. Please feel free to contact either of us for more information: cmims@abwanorfolk2007.org or mlawrence@abwanorfolk2007.org."

For more information, visit the conference website at: www.abwanorfolk2007.org.

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