Business Leaders Create Jobs, Build Better Communities

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- PA Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll today joined Secretary of Community and Economic Development Dennis Yablonsky and five Pennsylvania business journals to honor the state's Best 50 Women in Business at an awards ceremony at the Whitaker Center. The awards recognize the impact women business owners and business leaders have in creating jobs and building communities in Pennsylvania. The winners were announced in April.

"On behalf of Governor Edward G. Rendell, I congratulate those receiving awards and commend you for your dedication to creating jobs and building better communities in Pennsylvania," Lt. Governor Baker Knoll said. "I am proud to join in honoring your accomplishments."

An independent panel of judges selected the top 50 candidates based on dedication to business growth, professional and personal accomplishments, community involvement, and advocacy for women in business.

"Now in its tenth year, we have honored hundreds of women throughout Pennsylvania who have proven to be successful business and community leaders," Secretary Yablonsky said. "I am honored to recognize their achievements in growth and development as they make further contributions to their business and community."

To qualify, nominees must be female residents of Pennsylvania or be employed in the state and must be an owner, partner, president, chief executive officer, board chair, in a senior executive management level position, or a woman with significant authority in decision-making.

"We are excited to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Best 50 Women in Business program and are fortunate to have the opportunity to recognize this exceptional group of women," said David A. Schankweiler, President and CEO of the Central Penn Business Journal. "As business and community leaders, their business acumen consistently redefines achievement throughout this region."

Winners will be highlighted in special supplements in the Central Penn Business Journal; Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal, Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal, Pittsburgh Business Times, and Pennsylvania Business Central.

 Editor's Note: A list of the 2005 Best 50 Women in Business 

follows. M. Michele Sponholtz, Senior Vice-President Giant 

Eagle, Inc. 645 Alpha Drive RIDC Park Pittsburgh, PA 15238 

Allegheny Marie L. Feltz, President/Owner Interior Decorating 

Systems of Western PA 239 Sieaforth Avenue Pittsburgh, 

PA 15216 Allegheny Helen Hanna Casey, President Howard Hanna 

Real Estate Services 119 Gamma Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15238 

Allegheny Jackie Johnson, RN, MBA, CHE Founder and CEO (Owner) 

Corazon Consulting 5000 McKnight Road Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 

15237 Allegheny Susan Baker Shipley, Senior Vice President & 

Director Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania Mid-Atlantic Cash 

Management Division 525 William Penn Place, 29th Floor 

Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Allegheny Carrie Coghill, CFP, Co-Founder

 & President DB Root & Company 3100 Koppers Building 

436 Seventh Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 152191818 Allegheny Jeanette 

P. Thomas, President Co-Owner/Co-Founder Tachyon Solutions, 

Inc. Blaymore II 1603 Carmody Court, Suite 302 Sewickley, PA 

15143 Allegheny Marion P. Lewis, Chief Executive Officer 

Co-Owner/Co-Founder Tachyon Solutions, Inc. Blaymore II 1603 

Carmody Court, Suite 302 Sewickley, PA 15143 Allegheny Patty 

Kreamer, President Kreamer Connect, Inc. 2429 Silver Oak 

Place Pittsburgh, PA 15220 Allegheny Deirdra E. Gross, 

Owner/President MAKK Strategies and MAKK Business Solutions 

3085 Shelley Drive South Park, PA 15129 Allegheny Carolyn J. 

Kubik, M.D., Co-Owner

  Reproductive Health Specialists, Inc.
  665 Rodi Road
  Building 2, 2nd Floor
  Pittsburgh, PA 15235
  Allegheny

  Judy Wilt, Owner
  Once Upon A Child
  153 Berkshire Boulevard
  Wyomissing, PA 19610
  Berks

  Laura J. Huch Kerckhoff, President
  CEO and Co-Owner
  Castcon-Stone, Inc.
  2900 South Noah Drive
  Saxonburg, PA 16056
  Butler

  Gena Alulis, Owner (President/CEO)
  SUPERFIT Inc.
  780 Fifth Avenue
  King of Prussia, PA 19406
  Chester

  Sarah M. Hetznecker, P.G., President
  Mesa Environmental Sciences, Inc.
  5 Mesa Lane
  Malvern, PA 19355
  Chester

  Debra A. Pierson, Owner/ President
  Pierson Consulting Company, Inc.
  458 N. Locust Point Road
  Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
  Cumberland

  Marilyn C. Zywiec, Co-Owner, President
  Computer Information Systems, Inc.
  902 Greenbriar Drive
  Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
  Cumberland

  Pamela A. DeLissio, CEO and Owner
  PA Online
  2330 Vartan Way, 2nd Floor
  Harrisburg, PA 17110
  Dauphin

  Leta M. Beam, President/CEO
  Vantage International
  609 Showers Street
  Harrisburg, PA 17104
  Dauphin

  Patricia Hill Starner, Publisher/Part-Owner
  Benchmark Group Media
  Publishers of Harrisburg Magazine
  3400 North Sixth Street
  Harrisburg, PA 17110
  Dauphin

  Amy Beamer, Partner/Vice President of Operations
  Pavone
  1006 Market Street
  Harrisburg, PA 17101
  Dauphin

  Patricia Bittner Trefz Swigart, Owner/President
  Trefz & Bowser Funeral Home, Inc.
  114 West Main Street
  Hummelstown, PA 17036
  Dauphin

  Jessica E. Meyers, Owner & President
  JEM Group, LLC / Reynolds Construction Mgmt Inc.
  3300 North 3rd Street
  Harrisburg, PA 17110
  Dauphin

  Linda H. Weaver, Part Owner
  Triangle Refrigeration Company
  P O Box 487
  3200 Oregon Pike
  Leola, PA 175400487
  Lancaster

  Oneida D. DeLuca, Partner/Co-Owner
  Birchwood Consulting Group, LLC
  3960 Birchwood Lane
  Columbia, PA 17512
  Lancaster

  Kae Groshong, President
  North Star Marketing, Inc.
  245 Butler Avenue
  Lancaster, PA 17601
  Lancaster

  Donna K. Anderson, Owner, President, Publisher
  On-Line Publishers, Inc.
  3002 Hempland Road
  Lancaster, PA 17601
  Lancaster

  Mary Kohler, Owner/CEO
  Sir Speedy Printing
  854 North Prince Street
  Lancaster, PA 17603
  Lancaster

  Cynthia Daub-Miller, Co-Owner, CFO
  Innovation Focus, Inc.
  111 East Chestnut Street
  Lancaster, PA 17602
  Lancaster

  L. Susan Hunt, Publisher
  President & Chief Executive Officer
  The Morning Call
  101 North Sixth Street
  Allentown, PA 18105
  Lehigh

  Jane Durkin, D.O., Physician
  Co-Owner and President
  Dallas Family Practice, L.L.C.
  16 Church Street
  Dallas, PA 18612
  Luzerne

  Mary L. Burke, President / Co-Owner
  Valley Seeding Company, Inc.
  306 West County Road
  Sugarloaf, PA 18249
  Luzerne

  Daisy Gallagher, Founder & CEO
  Gallagher & Gallagher Marketing
  & Advertising Co.
  744 Main Street
  Stroudsburg, PA 18360
  Monroe

  Karen Lawson, PhD, President
  Lawson Consulting Group, Inc.
  1365 Gwynedale Way
  Lansdale, PA 19446
  Montgomery

  Jane Hileman, CEO and Founder
  American Reading Company
  421 Feheley Drive, Suite E
  King of Prussia, PA 19406
  Montgomery

  Constance M. Dougher, Esquire
  Senior Vice President, Secretary and Counsel
  ARRO Consulting, Inc.
  649 North Lewis Road, Suite 100
  Limerick, PA 194681234
  Montgomery

  Christina Davis, Rev./Dr.
  Golden Well-ness Center, Inc.
  248 Keswick Avenue
  Glenside, PA 19038
  Montgomery

  Karen L. Conner, Owner, President/CEO
  Connor Communications Inc.
  523 Righter Ferry Rd.
  Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
  Montgomery

  Suzanne F. Fairlie, President
  ProSearch, Inc.
  3555 Welsh Road
  Willow Grove, PA 19090
  Montgomery

  Ellen Toplin, President and Owner
  Toplin & Associates
  1301 Virginia Drive, Suite 310
  Fort Washington, PA 19034
  Montgomery

  Lois Ann Glasgow, Director/Treasurer
  EEO Officer/Safety Coor.
  Glasgow, Inc.
  P O Box 1089
  104 Willow Grove Avenue
  Glenside, PA 19038
  Montgomery

  Julie Copeland, President & CEO
  Arbill Safety Products
  10450 Drummond Road
  Philadelphia, PA 19154
  Philadelphia

  Pamela A. Crawley, Senior Vice President & Director of Public Affairs
  Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
  Two Commerce Square
  2001 Market Street, 6th Fl
  Philadelphia, PA 19103
  Philadelphia

  Sharon Gallagher, Partner, Co-Owner
  Sage Communications Partners, LLP
  1616 Walnut Street
  Philadelphia, PA 19103
  Philadelphia

  Xana Winans, President/Owner
  Golden Proportions Marketing
  115 Farley Circle
  Suite 202
  Lewisburg, PA 17837
  Union

  Laurie S. Nicholl, Co-Owner/Principal
  Nicholl Brandt Communications Inc.
  189 Hoge Summit Road
  Eighty Four, PA 15330
  Washington

  Sheelah Kaye-Stepkin, Owner
  Torte Knox Recreational Cooking School
  301 Main Avenue
  Hawley, PA 18428
  Wayne

  Rebecca A. Thorne, President
  Home Health Services by the Thorne Group Inc.
  235 W. Pittsburgh Street
  Greensburg, PA 15601
  Westmoreland

  Carol H. Brady, President
  C.H. & D. Enterprises, Inc.
  100 Brady Place
  New Stanton, PA 15672
  Westmoreland

  Anne W. Yearick, President/Treasurer
  New Steps Rehab, Inc.
  13898 Rt. 30
  North Huntingdon, PA 15642
  Westmoreland

  CONTACT:  Leslie Suhr
            (717) 783-1132

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development

CONTACT: Leslie Suhr, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic
Development, +1-717-783-1132

Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/