Leadership Spotlight

How did Wharton alumna Lucinda Duncalfe Holt sell her start-up, TurnTide, an anti-spam technology company, to Symantec for $28 million just six months after first-round funding? How did Michele Anderson, WG'93, turn her passion for wines into a successful import and distribution business?

Wharton MBA students and alumnae heard these and other successful entrepreneurs' stories during "We Did It Our Way: Entrepreneurial Wisdom," one in a series of high- level panels, workshops, and speeches at the Wharton Women in Business (WWIB) Conference, held November 5 in Philadelphia.

Now in its 25th year, the conference had over 600 attendees and started off with an introduction by networking specialist Keith Ferrazi and an interview with Leslie Morgan Steiner, WG'92, general manager for The Washington Post Magazine. The keynote speaker was Andrea Jung, chairman and CEO of Avon Products, who shared her experiences taking the top job at Avon and working to achieve gender equality in the managerial ranks.

WWIB also paid tribute to the life achievements of Kathleen McDonald, WG'79, through its annual Kathleen McDonald Distinguished Alumna Award ceremony. This year's award went to Jane Sadowsky, WG'89, managing director and co-head of North America Power Group at Citigroup Corporate and Investment Bank.

Panels covered several key topics, including Pathways in Finance, Entrepreneurial Wisdom, Building a Brand and Making your Mark in the Luxury & Retail Sectors, as well as panels which discussed leadership issues in the public service and non- profit sector, as well as innovation in the technology and life sciences arena.

The conference also included successful and popular "tea chats"—less formal, small-group networking opportunities introduced at last year's conference. Participants included UBS, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, CSFB, Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns and Bank of America Securities, Wachovia, American Express, Rohm & Haas, Exelon, Capital Group, Sprint and 85 Broads.

These companies along with over twenty others also participated in a Career Fair.

One of Wharton's largest student clubs, WWIB strives to enhance the Wharton experience for all women enrolled in the MBA program via efforts in admissions, alumnae outreach, professional development, health and well-being, community service, athletic and inter-club activities.

As for this year's conference, "a major goal was for students to gain insight and inspiration into the kind of person and leader they hope to become," said Catherine Chiurco, WG'05, conference co-chair. "By developing an event that draws alumnae back to campus, we will enable them to form closer connections with Wharton and with each other."

To learn more about Wharton Women in Business, visit http://www.whartonwomen.org.