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WIM honors the memory of one of its inspirational founders, Charlotte Danstrom, through our Annual Awards Program. Ms. Danstrom re-entered the job market after raising three children. She began in an entry-level banking position and became a manager in three years. She then moved on to become the manager of promotional activities for Old Orchard Shopping Center. During that time, Ms. Danstrom participated in the Oakton Community College luncheons for women managers. These meetings created the idea for a support organization for women in management. Ms. Danstrom developed the WIM logo and its first brochure.
Ms. Danstrom was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1977. WIM continues to celebrate her life and the opportunities she envisioned by presenting the Chapter Women of Achievement and National Charlotte Danstrom awards.
The Women of Achievement Award provides recognition to members at both the Chapter and National levels. Awards are given in seven career categories; Academia, Corporate, Entrepreneur-Service, Entrepreneur-Product, Government, Licensed Professional, and Not-for-Profit based upon answers to questions set forth by the National Board of Women in Management. Candidates are judged by non-WIM members qualified via a recognized knowledge and understanding of the skills required to excel in the career category being judged.
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| 2008 National Charlotte Danstrom Recipients |
Deborah Seyller (NFV)-Government, Tia Harrison (NWC)-Entrepreneur Service,
Rose Reinert-Allen (NFV)-Not-for-Profit,
Rhonda Pokoj (NFV)-Corporate & Jennifer Dallas (McHenry)-Licensed Professional [L-R]
(Christine des Rochers is pictured accepting on behalf of Jennifer Dallas)
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Not-For-Profit
Rose Reinert-Allen – Northern Fox Valley Chapter
Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, Executive Director
As a high school freshman, Rose was inspired after meeting Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King at a MLK Jr. Nonviolence Center conference in Atlanta. Her senior year, she spent nine months in Mexico City through the Rotary Youth Exchange program, which developed her innate sense of independence and ability to speak Spanish. Upon returning, Rose entered Viterbo College to study Social Work.
In 1998, Rose began her ten-year career with Boys & Girls Clubs, which includes work within the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse, Wisconsin; Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holland, Michigan; and, ultimately, Boys & Girls Club of Elgin. Rose has taken part in regional and national leadership trainings, and has obtained her Masters of Management in Nonprofit Administration through North Park University.
After serving as Interim Executive Director of the Elgin Club in 2006, Rose was selected as the permanent director in January 2007. Under Rose’s leadership, the Club completed a $3,000,000 capital campaign resulting in the completion of a new facility in 2008.
Rose is also involved in the United Way’s Impact Council, is an active Rotarian and serves on the Summit Neighbors group.
Rose Reinert-Allen was raised in La Crosse, WI where she also attended college. She is married to Che Allen and has a one year old child, Nakai, and another child on the way.
Government
Deborah Seyller – Northern Fox Valley Chapter
Clerk of the Circuit Court, Kane County Illinois
Deb Seyller has been with the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office for 18 years, seven of them as the Customer Service and Quality Assurance Manager. She was first elected Circuit Clerk in December of 1996. She has been active in leadership roles on several technology committees at the County and State Level.
By Illinois law, the primary function of the Circuit Court Clerk is to maintain all records of the trial court. Under Deb’s administration, technology has been used in the Clerk’s Office to improve efficiency, productivity, and customer access including development of one of the first electronic court call check-in processes in the country, which serves as a model for other Clerks’ offices nationwide.
Additional responsibilities include administrative, financial, and public services. The Kane County Circuit Clerk’s Office is also provides administrative, financial and public services including revenue collection of approximately $6.1 million with disbursements of $67 million for other county and state entities, for which Deb is responsible on a day-to-day basis.
In August 2007, her office was recognized with a CIO 100 Award for their electronic order of protection. The CIO 100 is an international award sought by corporations with multibillion dollar budgets.
On her time off, Deb enjoys motorcycling cross country or reading Science Fiction.
Licensed Professional
Jennifer Dallas – McHenry County Chapter
Morgan Stanley, Financial Advisor
Jennifer Dallas, CFP is a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley. She joined the firm in 2002 in the Champaign, IL branch and currently works in the Barrington, IL office. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Jennifer entered the financial services industry in 1999 at Merrill Lynch in Oklahoma City, OK.
Jennifer attended both Illinois Wesleyan University and Oklahoma City University. At OCU, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Economics was honored with the Meinders School of Business Outstanding Senior Women Leadership Award.
In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys travel, reading, exercise, going to baseball games and spending time with family and friends. She is active in several community organizations including Women in Management of McHenry County, the McHenry County Community Foundation and the Crystal Lake and Barrington Chambers of Commerce. She and her husband, Mike, are originally from Marengo, IL and currently reside in Lakewood, IL. They are expecting their first child in April 2008.
Entrepreneur Service
Tia Harrison – Near West Cook Chapter
Home Instead Senior Care, Co-Owner
Tia Harrison is co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care, and independently owned and operated provider of non-medical services to seniors living in Oak Park and surrounding communities. Prior to joining her husband in their Oak Park office, she was the public relations specialist for Emergency 24, Inc., in Chicago, IL, where she was responsible for developing advertising and marketing collateral for the company’s nationwide sales force, writing and designing customer publications, and coordinating special events.
Harrison received a Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Iowa State University. She worked as a newspaper reporter at the Hawk Eye in Burlington, IA; magazine public relations representative at Better Homes and Gardens and Midwest Living Magazines in Des Moines, Iowa; manager of media relations at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; and communications specialist at Lease Team, Inc., in Omaha, Nebraska.
During her tenure at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, she served on various committees; chair of the Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on Equity for the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and a member of the University of Nebraska Committee for Gender Equity.
She is currently Vice President of Communications for the Near West Cook Chapter of Women in Management, responsible for promoting the Chapter’s activities and programs via print and electronic mediums. A recipient of the Chapter Board Member of the Year Award in 2007, and she served as Secretary from 2006-2007.
Corporate
Rhonda Pokoj - Northern Fox Valley Chapter
National City Bank, Vice President, Business Banking
Rhonda Pokoj has been a member of the Northern Fox Valley chapter since 1994. She served as its membership chair, vice – president and chapter president. On the national level, she worked on the national conference committee which orchestrated the 2004 Conference. She also worked with a task force to review and refine the role of the national organization.
Rhonda has 20 years in Commercial Banking. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois. Her main objective in banking is to use technical knowledge along with customer service skills to help bring the businesses she works with to the next level. She believes in building a true partnership with her customers.
Rhonda has long been committed to the communities in which she works. Through volunteer efforts, she has grown personally, met many wonderful people and has had a positive impact on the community. Rhonda only works with organizations with missions for which she has a passion – those that support business or the economy, education and women and children.
In addition to WIM, Rhonda has been active in numerous organizations including: the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Elgin, the Elgin Area Economic Development Council, Elgin’s Women’s Council, the Small Business Development Center, Elgin Community College’s Foundation, and her local Cub Scouts, PTA and church.
