Tuesday April 24, 2012

Sioux Falls Convention Center

Plans are currently being developed for the next SME Women in Business event to be held April 24, 2012 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.  Lee Woodruff has been contracted as the keynote speaker. The Title of Mrs. Woodruff's talk will be "An Imperfect Life".

In this presentation mirroring her book Perfectly Imperfect, Lee Woodruff shares with audiences her often funny, sometimes poignant and always resilient take on life. In a Nora Ephron meets Erma Bombeck delivery, Woodruff connects audiences with the many commonalities and anecdotes of being a daughter, mother, friend, working woman and caregiver. She also draws on some of the life lessons and experiences she chronicled in her number one best-seller "In an Instant," which details her family's journey of recovery after her husband Bob was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

With the same witty sense of humor she brings to her reporting on Good Morning America and her down to earth delivery, Woodruff takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of self-deprecating humor and shares some of her wisdom from having traveled on the "grittier pavement in life." One of the most popular aspects of her presentation are the insightful and often surprising tips Woodruff has to offer anyone going through a difficult time or the people surrounding them, from what to say and what not to say to what to do, Woodruff lays it out for the audience in an engaging fashion.

SME Sioux Falls Women in Business® is a premier event offered to SME members and the community alike. Each year, a nationally known speaker headlines this prestigious event which also includes a Trade Fair/Market place, an afternoon of educational seminars, the Women of Excellence Awards ceremony, a style show and a fabulous banquet.  Speakers recently headlining the event have included: Betty Anne Waters, Lisa Ling, Jane Seymour, Mary Lou Retton, Erin Brockovich, Vicki Lawrence, Marjorie Brody, Amanda Gore, Janet Lapp, Connie Podesta, Ann Jillian, Gail Sheehy, Lisa Caputo, Linda Ellerbee, Dixie Carter, and Rita Davenport.

Big ideas don't come solely from the top.  Each one of us is capable of making world-changing decisions and designing innovative concepts.  All we need is the right spark. 

SME (Sales and Marketing Executives) invites business women through the Sioux Empire and state to join us for the 2012 SME Women in Business® event to learn, network, be inspired and laugh.  The afternoon features break out sessions with topics everyone will enjoy; the evening is filled with great good and a nationally renowned keynote speaker.  If you are looking for fresh insight into business, and maybe a few new thoughts that could change your outlook, come to the SME Women in Business® event!~

Tickets are $70.  Tables of 10 may be reserved for $700.  Over one thousand guests are typically in attendance and tickets go fast.  There is a MarketPlace Trade Fair for all ticket holders.  The public is welcome.

For further information on the 2012 event contact Committee Co-Chairs Jennifer Mentele (mentelejm@wellmark.com) or Stephanie Nekl (neklsj@wellmark.com) for futher information or call the SME office at 605-336-5626. 

Buy Tickets

Afternoon Speaker (two sessions, 1:30 pm & 3 pm)

Maria Volante

Presenting Your Personal Brand Professionally

The importance of first impressions

This includes a fun and engaging
exercise on the impact of first impressions

• Why first impressions matter
• Key delivery skill of effective
  communication             
• Leveraging eye contact to convey
  confidence, credibility and believability
• Hands on exercise to practice eye
  contact
• Building
  an effective elevator speech
• We will provide a road map to create
  an effective elevator speech
• Hands on exercise to write an elevator
  speech (for company, team, project, product, etc.)

Maria Volante serves asSenior Vice President at Dardis Communications.  Maria brings with her a tremendous wealth of knowledge, sales and marketing experience, and a proven
track record of managing and developing successful teams.  

Maria joined Dardis Communications from Principal Financial Group in Des Moines where she was Vice President of the National Accounts Division.  She began her career at
Principal Financial Group in 1987 in the group health division, and over the years held several leadership positions including Senior Underwriter, Senior Account Manager, Director of Operations and Regional Marketing Director. During 1998 and 1999, Maria was a business liaison in Principal's Strategic Planning and Development area where she provided internal consultative services to the
multiple Principal business lines.  

From mid-1999 to early 2007, Maria served in several roles at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in Des Moines, including Vice President of Strategic Initiative Implementations, Regional Sales Manager and Senior Vice President of Business Design and Development.   Her experiences ranged from managing a ten state sales territory of over 320 sales people as the top producing sales region to the leadership and implementation of projects exceeding $20 million.

She returned to the Principal Financial Group at the beginning of 2007 as Vice President of the National Accounts Division serving Principal’s largest health clients.   Her responsibilities included leading the
third party administrator of health benefits for nearly 700,000 members as well as oversight for the Principal Wellness Company that included over 250,000 members. 

Maria blends her 20+ years of business and leadership experience with the Dardis Communications service portfolio to best serve our clients’ needs in the area of professional presentation, image, consultative selling and personal coaching.  

As a certified consultant in The Birkman Method®, Maria uses this industry-leading personality assessment and related reports in facilitating team building, executive coaching, leadership development, career management and interpersonal communication skill building.

Maria has served in many leadership roles over the years with United Way of Central Iowa including cabinet board member, campaign chair of the Women’s Leadership Connection and marketing cabinet member.   She is also a board member of the Chrysalis Foundation serving young women and girls in the Des Moines area. 

An Iowa native, Maria is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a BBA in Marketing.   Maria and her husband David live in Urbandale, Iowa.    

SME Women in  Business Sponsored by:
Stewarts School
State Farm Insurance
Sanford Health
Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield of SD
First PREMIER / PREMIER Bankcard
The Diamond Room
Midcontinent Communications
Luxury Auto Mall of Sioux Falls

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HISTORY of Last  year's event:

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Sioux Falls Convention Center

Event Schedule

Keynote Speaker

Breakout Speakers

Women of Excellence Awards

Sponsored by:
Stewarts School
State Farm Insurance
Sanford Health
Starmark Cabinetry
Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield of SD
First PREMIER / PREMIER Bankcard
The Diamond Room
Midcontinent Communications

Event Schedule

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Sioux Falls Convention Center

Day Events
12:00pm Doors Open
12:00-5:00pm MarketPlace/Trade Fair
1:30-2:20pm Breakout Session 1
2:30pm Visit MarketPlace & Trade Fair
3:30-4:20pm Breakout Session 2
4:30pm Drawing for Door Prizes
5:00pm Trade Fair Concludes

Evening Event
5:00pm Doors Open / Social Hour - Grand Ballroom
5:40pm Welcome
5:50pm Dinner
6:10pm Style Show by the Empire Mall
6:30pm Women of Excellence Awards - Sponsor: Wireless World
7:00pm Betty Anne Waters - Sioux Falls, SD

Speakers and Breakouts

Betty Anne Waters

What would you do if your loved one was sentenced to life in prison - and you were 100% certain of his innocence?  Betty Anne Waters - inspiration for the upcoming major motion picture starring Oscar winner Hilary Swank - lived that nightmare when, in 1983 her brother was sentenced to life without parole for a murder and robbery he swore he didn't commit.  When his appeals were shot down and funds for lawyers dwindled, Betty Anne decided to go to college and later, law school to get the credentials necessary to prove what she always knew:  Kenneth Waters was innocent.  At the podium Betty Anne tells her incredible true story of how persistence and determination fueled by an unbending belief in her brother's innocence lead to his exoneration in 2001.

Break out Sessions*

Melanie Brown
"Empowering Leaders"

Pat McGill
"Come as you are and leave Inspired"

*Each session will be held twice, so attendees will be able to hear both speakers.

Women in Business "Women of Excellence" Awards

Sales and Marketing Executives, Inc. of Sioux Falls (SME) is seeking nominations for its annual Women of Excellence Awards which will be given at the 2011 SME Women in Business® event in April. The awards celebrate women in the greater Sioux Falls area who influence the lives of other women with their integrity and accomplishments.

For the 15th year, exceptional women from the Sioux Falls area will be recognized at the SME Women in Business® event, April 26, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.  Nominees must be women who live or work within 100 miles of Sioux Falls. Categories include Women Breaking Barriers, Young Women of Excellence and Women Mentoring Women and Women Working Through the Decades.

Nominate a Woman of Excellence.  Nominations must be postmarked by March 28, 2012.  For more information about the Women of Excellence awards or the SME Women in Business® event, contact the SME office at 605-336-5626.