Women’s Business Center Celebrates Good Year with Recognition

MELBOURNE, FLA. —Over 100 community leaders attended the Florida Institute of Technology Women’s Business Center’s celebration event on Nov. 28 to commemorate the year’s successes. Beth Gitlin, the center’s director, emceed the event, which was held in the Hartley Room of Florida Tech’s Denius Student Center.

During the celebration, several Women’s Business Center clients were recognized for their business achievements. They included Kitty Hatton, owner of Melbourne Dancewear; Sherry Acanfora-Ruohomaki, owner of K-9 Campus; and Lisa Crites, owner of Shower Shirt. Tracy Stroderd, owner of Synergistic Marketing, was recognized for her volunteer work. Sandy Michaelson and Doris Larson, representing the Zonta Club of Melbourne, accepted an award for the organization, which recognized a community partner who donated more than $4,000 in scholarships to the WBC for client training. Also, Mary Baldwin and Laraine Schultz, WBC board members, were recognized for their dedication and fundraising efforts for the WBC over the past year.

Additionally, T. Dwayne McCay, Florida Tech executive vice president and COO, made opening remarks, recognizing the WBC’s achievement as the Small Business Administration’s Center of Excellence for 2012. Haley Olson, a Melbourne High School junior, made a presentation on her week-long experience of WBC-Junior Achievement Summer Entrepreneurship Camp, which was held in June 2012 on the Florida Tech campus.

Introductions of new board members were made by Debbie Goode, WBC board chair. They are Sandra Burge of Wells Fargo and Kathleen Crannell, J.D., of Orion Aerospace.

The event was sponsored by certified financial planner, Mary Baldwin; Roses are Red sponsored the floral arrangements.

For more information about the WBC, visit wbc@fit.edu.