The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

Debra Murray, Blue Spring International, LLC

Debra Murray is the President and Managing Member of Blue Spring International, LLC. Ms. Murray has over 25 years of sales, consulting, and management experience in real estate, retail, and health and wellness. Ms. Murray’s primary focus in recent years has been in the restructuring of privately-owned companies after severe market impacts.

As an active member of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), Women’s Business Enterprises (WBE) Southwest, and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Ms. Murray works to further opportunities in the world of business for women. Because of her passion for empowering women, she has received numerous awards and public speaking invitations, both in the US and abroad. Ms. Murray is also dedicated to educating consumers on natural health and wellness.

To further her goals, she has been or currently is a member in good standing of several prominent trade organizations in the health and wellness industry. Ms. Murray is determined to take Blue Spring to the forefront of natural health and wellness. Her passion and dedication shine in everything she does, both personally and professionally. She uses her vision and leadership to motivate her team to take Blue Spring to The Platinum Standard

Angie Hedges Hendricks, Bentley Hedges Travel

Bentley Hedges Travel has been a leader in the travel industry in Oklahoma for over 38 years and a Travel Leaders affiliate for 4 years.

Angela “Angie” Hedges Hendricks began her career in the travel industry in 1972. Her parents, Bentley and Alice Hedges founded Bentley Hedges Travel in Oklahoma City, OK in 1970 in her grandparents’ living room.

Angie has worked in virtually every position in the company and now serves as President and CEO. The agency is a Certified Woman-Owned Business.

Under Angie’s guidance, Bentley Hedges Travel consolidated outlying offices throughout Oklahoma and Texas into the Oklahoma City corporate headquarters as technology allowed for remote servicing of clients. Angie’s ability to keep the business plan flexible as the travel industry changed has allowed the company to sustain growth of nearly $7 million dollar agency employing 12 employees.

Angie is active in the South OKC Rotary, Greater OKC and South OKC Chambers of Commerce, a member of South OKC Chamber Team South Class II, serves as a member of the Personnel Committee at First Baptist Church of Moore, OK and serves on the Advisory Board of Travel Leaders. She is a 2009 Enterprising Women of the Year Winner.

In July 2008, Angie was asked by The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women – Peace through Business®2008 to mentor a woman business owner from Kigali, Rwanda who also owns and operates a travel agency. Again in 2009, Angie mentored another woman business owner of a travel agency. The bond between Angie and the women from Rwanda continues to flourish as they exchange ideas about their common vocation.

Angie is married to Steve Hendricks and they will celebrate their 31^t wedding anniversary in 2010. They have two daughters, Dr. Stephanie Aldret of Tulsa, OK and Sgt. Audrey Hendricks, Army Reserves, currently serving in Baghdad, Iraq. They reside in Oklahoma City with their dog, Reuben.

Terry Neese, Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women

DR. TERRY NEESE is founder and CEO of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW). She leads the organization to accomplish its mission via two programs, both domestic and international training for women business owners in the area of public policy and entrepreneurial education.

Peace Through Business – educates and empowers women entrepreneurs in developing countries to achieve their dream of financial independence and community involvement as a woman owned business. Since its creation in 2007, the program has trained over 150 women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda.

Empowering Women – a book and training program authored by Dr. Neese that encourages women business owners to affect change through involvement in public policy. Training sessions have been held in more than 15 states.

Founder of Terry Neese Personnel Services, and an inductee into the National and Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fames, Terry is a past national president of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the largest women’s association of its kind. Terry’s involvement with women business owners and family issues is well documented through her participation in the following:

• Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP); Co-Founder and Past President – WIPP joins together a membership across the nation totaling over half-million women entrepreneurs and executives and serves as a voice for women in business at the United States Capitol.
• National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA); Distinguished Fellow – Terry led the organization’s Family Policy Center, where she developed policy ideas that helped women, families, and small businesses keep more of their earned money, and make better financial and health choices. In addition, Terry conducted bipartisan briefings on family issues with congressional leaders and their staffs and has regularly testified before the U.S. House and Senate.

A successful businesswoman, Terry made history in 1990 when she became the first woman nominated by a major political party for the seat of Lt. Governor of Oklahoma. She was recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the “Power 30” – the most influential small businesspersons in Washington, D.C. She was named an Outstanding Business Leader by Northwood University Board of Trustees in 2006. In 2008, Northwood University bestowed Terry with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Terry has been appointed to numerous councils and positions with nominations by prominent leaders, such as Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Terry is also a pilot and a member of the Ninety-Nines. She is married to Earl N. Neese. Their daughter, Kim Neese, is CEO of Terry Neese Personnel Services and is the proud mom of Emily and Erin. They all reside in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Sharron Jackson

Sharron is Director of the Business Development Center-North, at the Business and Industry Services Division for Metro Technology Centers. She has been with Metro Tech for over nine years starting as a Consultant and Trainer before accepting the position of Training Coordinator then Director. Her responsibilities have included working with companies on all of their training and employee development needs and now providing business coaching for start up and existing small businesses. Sharron is the host and creator of “The Bis Coach” radio show on AM 1140, Perry Broadcasting Company. The show airs on once a week and is podcast on iTunes.

Sharron has a very diverse background in human resources, financial and budgeting management, fund raising, leadership and coaching management, along with sales and marketing. She is also the owner of Complete Business Solutions, LLC. The company provides business coaching, business plan writing, strategic planning and marketing / branding services.

She is a Certified Trainer and Facilitator, Executive Coach, and Certified Program Planner

Memberships and Associations: Active member of Oklahoma Consortium for Minority Business Development, Inc., Volunteer for YWCA battered women’s shelter. Co Chair of the Economic Development committee for Operation Nehemiah, and Board Member for the Capitol Chamber of Commerce.

NAME: Homa Kabiri

COUNTRY: Afghanistan

BUSINESS: Kabiri & Partners Consulting Services (K&PC - business development)

Homa, 21 years old, co-owns K&PC, a consulting firm in several provinces.

After leaving Kabul shortly after she was born, Homa’s family moved to Mazar, the only city that had schools open to girls. Because the schools were full, Homa was left to study under tents. But she says this only made her more studious. After the Taliban captured Mazar, Homa’s famly traveled to Herat, where she learned how to sew and knit. While at home, Homa secretly taught herself six full grades, with the help from her parents and the neighbor’s wife – all against the Taliban’s ban against education for girls.

It was because of these secret studies Homa was able to graduate earlier than most girls her age, after the Taliban left the country. Upon graduating high school, Homa started up with K&PC.

Currently, the business has four shareholding partners, and as Homa contributes more, she can earn a higher percentage of the company.

In addition to contract hires, K&PC has six employees. The company is the first gender-focused business provider company in Herat and was founded in 2007. The business goal is to improve the economic situation in Afghanistan by improving and supporting women and youth.

Although women make up 30 percent of agricultural workers, they are the poorest paid; while women weave intricate carpets, the industry is generally run by men.

K&PC holds trainings, such as marketing workshops to teach women how to market and sell their products. To date, the company has trained over 1,000 men and women in Heart and Farah provinces and in districts outside of the city.

The business provides training in marketing, management, finance, accounting, packaging, leadership, business administration and more.

Building technical capacities and providing technical advice for clients (business associations and other companies) has been the second most developed area of the business since its establishment.

For 2010, saffron growing and packaging is one of K&PC’s biggest interest areas.

K&PC’s business activity plan focuses on 1) job opportunities, 2) market research and market studies, 3) private sector development, 4) natural resource management, 5) agricultural improvement, 6) women’s economical improvement and self-sufficiency, 7) environmental improvements, and 8 ) raising business legal awareness.

Over the next five years, Homa wants to help K&PC expand its services into remote districts and villages. She also hopes the company will help those women who are the most vulnerable and deprived and help them develop their skills and “give them a hand to feel stronger.”

“We look forward to a brighter future for all businesswomen of Afghanistan.”

By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Homa wants to improve upon her organizational leadership skills and interact with fellow businesswomen.

NAME: Parinaz Hissami

COUNTRY: Afghanistan

BUSINESS: MEDA (business development)

Parinaz, 23 years old, works as a business development manager for MEDA, which works with 2,250 rural female farmers in Afghanistan.

While the organization reaches over 2,000 women directly, it reaches 10,000 family members indirectly.

In addition to providing farming activities, MEDA helps these women turn their farming projects into viable businesses. As a business development manager, Parinaz provides training and support. Parinaz is passionate about her business because it allows her to take part in the development of her country, to help bring peace to families and their communities and to make a positive change.

Parinaz says that her commitment to Afghanistan is in a fundamental way a part of her search for my own identity and moral fulfillment. She has learned that education is of the utmost importance, and her training in business administration and management has engrossed her in Afghanistan’s business development. She has carefully observed development policies, short-term approaches, lack of capacities, and coordination gaps among the different line organizations.

After learning about the Institute, Parinaz believes the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program can help Afghan women develop their businesses in a successful and professional way.

Over the next five years, Parinaz wants to see that all of the women she helps can legally own businesses in their own names.

“My main goal is to have a life-altering opportunity and to equip myself with modern theoretical knowledge in the field of business development. This program will help me to better understand the complex business issues and alternative solutions that can be effective.”

NAME: Masouma Abdollahi

COUNTRY: Afghanistan

BUSINESS: ASAP Development of Afghans Family Organization (business training)

Masouma, 26 years old, has just recently started up her business, which is aimed at empowering Afghan women in order to make a positive impact on Afghan society. She wants to help women believe in themselves again, and make them apart of Afghanistan’s redevelopment.

ASAP Development of Afghans Family Organization with help provide women with the skills needed to gain employment. Her first training will focus on jewelry making.

The business first focuses on literate and educated women, especially those who are already studying at high-education institutes. Training programs include: female participation in development, gender, general basic management, planning, team building, decision-making, leadership development, office management, financial management, reporting, monitoring, supervision and evaluation, marketing and information technology.

Masouma’s business goals are to invoke change in both the attitudes and work capacity of Afghan women.

By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Masouma hopes to build a better business plan and further develop her organization.