Hartford, CT - Entertainer Paula Abdul will be the keynote luncheon speaker on "Creating Your Own Success" at the 2010 Business Women’s Forum, Connecticut’s largest and longest-running full-day annual conference for women (www.2010bwf.com). "Refresh, Reset, Renew" is the inspiring theme of the 28th annual Forum, and celebrity entertainer, businesswoman, Paula Abdul, will be the afternoon’s keynote speaker. The 2010 BWF will take place Thursday, September 23rd from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Jill Blashack Strahan, founder and CEO of Tastefully Simple, a $140-million plus enterprise of direct sales, easy-to-prepare foods and gifts, will be the BWF’s morning motivational speaker.
"More than 1,000 business people from across Connecticut are anticipated to attend this mega-business event," stated Lynn Ward, president and CEO of the Waterbury Regional Chamber of Commerce, and a director of BFW. "With a keynote by Paula Abdul, and a motivational speech by one of our nation’s top CEO’s, Jill Blashack Strahan, founder of Tastefully Simple, plus a full day of workshops and networking, we anticipate every participant will benefit greatly from this very exciting day. Participants will also be invited to attend workshops throughout the day featuring acclaimed speakers and trainers who will educate and inspire attendees on professional and personal levels."
Celebrating 28 years of success in 2010, The Business Women’s Forum, is a program of the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and led by 35 female executives dedicated to the professional and personal growth of working women. The BWF is sponsored annually by the U.S. Small Business Administration and supported by numerous Connecticut-based companies. "During the past 27 years," explained Ward, "the BWF has generated in excess of $100,000 in scholarship funds for female Post University students to pursue a business education. The mission of the non-profit BWF® is our continual commitment to equality of opportunity and advancement for women in business."
Kristen Rowland, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Human Capitalist Specialists, Inc., a BWF member for five years, is Chairwoman of the 2010 Business Women’s Forum. "For 27 years, the BWF has provided an unprecedented number of attendees with access to phenomenal speakers, networking opportunities and diverse training during the course of one day. Each year, the BWF has featured such prominent, high-profile keynote speakers as Robin Roberts, Goldie Hawn, Jamie Lee Curtis, Suze Orman, Jane Seymour, Susan St. James, Chris Madden, Ann Curry, Jack Ford, and Faith Popcorn."
Paula Abdul, best known as a former judge on Fox TV’s reality show, "American Idol", the enormously successful entertainer and businesswoman, launched her own clothing line, Skirtz, and her signature jewelry line, Innergy. An accomplished choreographer, dancer, and singer, Ms. Abdul released her aerobic video "Cardio Dance" in 1998, a follow-up to her critically-acclaimed "Get Up and Dance" video released in 1995. She also established her own company, Co Dance, which recently held its first national championships.
In 1995, Paula Abdul released her third album, "Head Over Heels", which peaked at #18 on Billboard’s popular 100 List. Venturing into television in 1997, she appeared in ABC-TV’s movie, "Touched by Evil", a true story of a woman recovering from a brutal rape. She has appeared on numerous television shows over the years, including NBC’s "Saturday Night Live", and ABC’s "Sabrina: The Teenage Witch".
Jill Blashack Strahan, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, will begin the September 23rd BWF® program by sharing three success factors for any entrepreneur, and her philosophy for building a multi-million dollar business.
Tickets for the 2010 Business Women’s Forum are available, which includes workshops, speakers, continental breakfast, lunch, and the closing wine and cheese reception. Tables and individual tickets can be obtained by visiting www.2010bwf.com.
