Women In Business

Dr. Joan Bergstrom

Kay and Lauren Duggan

Valerie Landry

Brenda Cureton-Smith

Camille McDonald

Sarah Merrill-Young

Stephanie Foster

Connie Gauntt

Melinda Richardson

Dr. Kristin Robbins

Kimberly Fitzpatrick

Dr. Lisa B. Fell

Reba Blevens

Mary Davis

Linda Magazzine

Gloria Van Zandt

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Women in Business

Joan’s story ...

helped me set up my first OB/GYN office, working in my practice for the next 10 years.

Despite all the ups and downs we went through with our motel life, Mom and Dad wanted get back into the hotel business, only this time it would be a bed and breakfast. We formed a partnership and built The Sanford House. My dad supervised all the construction of the initial property. After several years of non-stop work, running The Sanford House, my parents were exhausted and decided to retire.

The next seven years were extremely challenging for me. I was working full-time as an Ob-gyn, raising three daughters, and managing The Sanford House from an arm’s length. It wouldn’t be unusual for me to be on call and finish delivering a baby and head over to The Sanford House in my scrubs and white coat. When I would arrive, the staff would laugh and say, “The eagle has landed,” and run over to see what the latest issue was.

Having great staff helped keep The Sanford House afloat. One special guy that has always been at the top of my favorites list is Van Anderson, who has been with us for almost 10 years. He maintains the facility, keeps the guests happy and the systems rolling. He always has a smile on his face, and no matter what happens, he says, “Hey Dr. B, We got Dr. Joan Bergstrom this! We can do it!” with Van Anderson When my eldest daughter, Valerie, graduated from Hofstra University in New York, I offered her an option to come into the business, and she decided that it would be a good opportunity. She has worked her way up from the receptionist at the spa to General Manager. Three years ago, my youngest daughter, Camille, completed her college degree at TCU and joined the company to manage restaurant506 and develop our front-of-house systems. She is working towards her Sommelier certification and broadening our wine services. My middle daughter, Michelle, is in her third year of Medical School and works off-weekends at The Sanford House, filling in every position from waitress to event staff to front desk receptionist, when needed!

A small business is hard work. You live, eat, and sleep the daily staffing problems, revenue, taxes, bills, and customer reviews. When the small business is a family affair, everyone has to be willing to put on the “work hat” and the “family hat” at different times. It takes discipline and practice to keep the business problems at work and make Dr. Joan Bergstrom and her daughters, Camille McDonald and sure the family time focuses on the rest of life’s challenges.

The most rewarding part of a small business is the feeling of satValerie Landry, share how they have risen to the top of ther fields isfaction that you get from the successes, whether they are small or large. It is also extremely satisfying to have the nimbleness to make decisions without having to go through channels of committees or loads of paperwork. Our philosophy is to approach every challenge with a “can do” motel clientele, I decided early on that I wanted to be a doctor. That seed seemed to attitude. If plan A isn’t going to work, what is plan B? Communication is everything. be firmly planted in my brain and I never even thought about doing anything else.

Don’t let problems simmer; confront them and figure out a solution.

Throughout high school, I took a second job working as a Nurse’s Aide in the local hos The future is unlimited. With my daughters taking over the reins at The Sanford pital on evening shifts and another part-time job at a doctor’s office, learning everyHouse, I have been able to expand my Ob-gyn practice to a second location and bring thing I could about medicine. several new doctors to our team at Women’s Health Services. Living and working in Ar After a 12-year-long flurry of educational life from college through medical school and lington – the bright star of North Texas – and being part of this community is a fabulous then residency in OB/GYN, with a whole multitude of adventures and challenges, I met journey that is still in progress. my husband, and we moved to Texas. My parents also moved to Texas, and my mother FAMILY BUSINESS STARTED for me at the age of 9, when my parents bought a 20-room “mom & pop” motel out on Highway 30 in North Platte, Neb. Having spent my first eight years as a normal kid, riding my bike all over creation and playing hide-n-seek until it was too dark to see, I was a little shocked at the prospect of this new venture. Thrust into a new life, my brothers and I learned to clean rooms, greet guests, sweep the pool, cover front desk shifts, and mow the lawn – although one might be hard pressed to say there was any real grass in West Nebraska – mostly keeping the weeds under wraps.

During the school year we cleaned rooms before we went to school. In the summer – when business was good – we worked all day with breaks for lunch and later a cold pop and a candy bar. Being that it was always hot and windy, we sat up in the treehouse of our solitary but substantial cottonwood tree and watched the cars go by.

Summer was the busy season. We always got paid for our work and learned the value of a dollar – literally as that was what the pay was – $1 per room. We split the bathrooms – Jeff did the sinks and showers, and I got the commodes and floors. I always made the beds and Jeff dusted and vacuumed – we split the buck 50/50, although I always thought he got off easy because he got to dust. Sometimes we would get a tip from travelers, which was an unbelievable novelty!

Our motel was on the state highway, and when the inPhotos: Ken Cox, Munson-Cox Portrait Design terstate came through, bypassing our little establishment (Dad always said business went south), we adjusted to clients who booked for weekly stays, usually construction workers staying with us during the week then heading home to their families on weekends. My parents always worked second jobs to keep the bills paid.

Through my stint working in the motel and observing the diverse lifestyles of our

SUCCESS stories

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ARLINGTON TODAY • October 2016 • arlingtontoday.com

Camille’s story ...

FIVE YEARS AGO, if you would’ve told me that as a soon-to-be-graduate from TCU earning a Pre-Med degree I would be the Maitre D’ of Restaurant506 on the path to becoming a Sommelier, I would’ve thought you were insane. Well, it turns out, life is insane, and the unpredictability has turned out to be the biggest blessing.

I grew up around medicine (see the story to the left about the best OB/GYN in Arlington/the world…aka my mom!). I was fascinated and fantastically grossed out by the stories of disease, blood and guts, and babies. I was always hesitant to “follow in my parents footsteps” as so many people suggested because I couldn’t bear the thought of going to school for SO MANY YEARS. It was going to be my whole life before I could do what they did!

It turns out I was a big nerd, though – I loved school – and I started to have a specific interest in my science classes, so I decided to explore the topic further by attending what I affectionately named “Nerd Camp” – aka The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine. For a week one summer in high school, I stayed at the dorms at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., with my fellow nerds of the world and debated medical ethics, watched open-heart surgery, polled people about their STD knowledge, and generally just had the best time.

My mind was made up, I wanted to be a doctor.

If I’ve learned anything about myself it’s that I will try so hard to make something work until it absolutely drives me to the breaking point. Once I decide that I’m going to commit to something I will give it everything until I can’t give any more. Sometimes I wish I would have had this great realization that I wasn’t meant for medicine in my freshman year, instead of torturing myself with classes like Organic Chemistry throughout my college career.

But what I’m also learning is that life is totally about the journey. Of course, it would seem more convenient to take the most direct path to a destination, but my parents have always taught me to enjoy the scenic route, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t apply

Valerie’s story ...

I STARTED working for my family business, The Sanford House, at the ripe old age of 11. Summer jobs consisted of pulling weeds around the grounds, cleaning the rooms, ironing sheets and pillow cases, and helping to serve at events. As time went on, I eventually graduated to front desk jobs. Between the spa and the house, I worked both front desks, “walked-the-runway” as a model in a bridal fair, and learned the basics of how to help our guests enjoy their time with us.

These summer jobs continued through college. Although I went away to Hofstra University in Long Island, N.Y., summers back at home were always a great way to catch up with The Sanford House team. From booking rooms to wedding planning to setting up spa retreats for guests, I had the chance to try out new ideas and see Valerie Landry fresh aspects of the business all the time.

After I graduated from college, I started working for my family full time. Initially, I was the Spa Director, and I assisted with marketing. Some of the original events we tried included a Fall Fashion Show, Oktoberfest, and a 4th of July Jubilee. My Mom and I gradually learned the balance of when the “work-hat” comes on and when the “family-hat” can come on. I think we both learned a lot about

Camille McDonald

that to my life. For example, if I wouldn’t have been Pre-Med, I wouldn’t have taken chemistry and classes about plant biology, which means I wouldn’t have the foundation to be familiar with winemaking and viticulture, which has definitely come in handy lately … more on that later.

My wake-up call came when I didn’t get accepted to medical school right after college. This was the moment that finally gave me pause. The life plan had been disrupted. I heard from a lot of different professors, my peers, family members, and other doctors that “nowadays” it takes most candidates several attempts to get accepted. I had seen it first hand with my sister Michelle. She filled the year applying to medical school with surgical programs and continued to persevere. I, on the other hand, was abruptly displaced by the rejection. It finally gave me the time for introspection, though – each other and working together has brought us closer than ever.

Starting my early 20s, in a management role, I learned that there are just some things school cannot teach you.

Until you actually experience the art of hiring and firing a member of your team, you don’t see the delicate balances that are at play. Finding just the right member of the team who can take us to the next level, or terminating someone who just isn’t ready to put in the dedication and time to see the entire business succeed is something I struggled with initially. Finding the right members to join our team has been one of the biggest endeavors I have undertaken.

When the right team comes together and you see the passion they have for service, and you hear our guests praise this work, I know that we are making the right choices. I worked my way up to become the General Manager of the property.

While it was an incredible opportunity, I realized that there were aspects of the business in which I wanted to be more effective. I took the GMAT and was accepted to UT Arlington and participated in the MBA Cohort program. For two years, I worked full time and also pursued my MBA full time. I used what I learned through this program to help arlingtontoday.com • October 2016 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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Camille McDonald (con’t)

and what I discovered was that I was fairly unhappy. I wasn’t enthusiastic enough to try and apply again.

Imperative to my decision making was working as a scribe in the ER. This experience gave me intimate access to the medical world in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I wasn’t “Dr. B’s daughter here to shadow” or “Dr. McDonald’s daughter here for take-your-daughter-to-work-day.” I was just Camille, a scribe. There isn’t some dirty secret to divulge; I just realized that working in this kind of environment wasn’t for me. Instead of gaining compassion, I became bitter and removed. I was unable to cope with the environment of sickness in a positive way.

Once I decided I wouldn’t apply to medical school again, there was no going back.

Since I decided I wasn’t going to be a doctor, I decided I couldn’t do medicine at all.

The thing as a whole had been exhausted from every angle for me, and there was no compromise. So just like that, cold turkey, I completely changed careers (not without emotional turmoil) and I transitioned from scribing in the ER to being a hostess at a fine dining restaurant in Downtown Fort Worth.

Over the next five months I would contemplate a few paths with my new direction in the food and wine world. I thought about moving up at The Capital Grille to become a server, moving to California to work under a family friend at a winery during harvest, or starting as the front of house manager of Restaurant506 at The Sanford House. I weighed the pros and cons and finally came around to the family business. I expressed to my parents an importance of exploring new avenues in this career path, and they were extremely supportive. They sponsored a learning experience in Las Vegas throughout the spring. It was a class with UNLV’s Continuing Education School called Vine to Wine: The Fundamentals. Little did I know at that time, Las Vegas – particularly The Strip of Vegas – is a mecca of wine. Just as the high rollers come in to gamble their money away, they also come to wine and dine in the highest style.

I was thrilled to be flying out to Vegas every Monday for 14 weeks to learn about wine. The jet setting lifestyle I had day dreamed about was kind of coming true. The first week I learned some valuable lessons – that even spitting wine all day during tastings made you feel a little drunk, that Vegas is the driest place I had ever experienced, and because Uber was recently banned I was a victim to the taxis … and cabbies do not like picking anyone up unless you’re on the Strip or at the airport. My hair felt like straw, the dehydration from travelling and wine tasting all day was amplified by the desert conditions, and I was late for my first return flight home. Thank goodness the last person leaving my class could be convinced to take their non-resident classmate to the airport

Valerie Landry (con’t)

develop a better long term vision for the business and I finessed my management style.

During this time, we had some major changes in our staffing, and I really learned the value of time management. I worked a lot of weekends and overnight shifts, and through this, I learned that people are still the biggest part of success for any business – not only the people who come as guests, but especially the people who are part of our team. The team actually becomes part of the family here at The Sanford House.

Flexibility, adaptability, and communication are what helped us make it through these transitions, and we came back stronger than ever. Key members of our team are Chef John Klein, who capably directs culinary team, and Krista Koen, our accomplished Event Coordinator. Throughout all this transition, Van Anderson, the Grounds Manager and Banquet Captain has continuously provided rock-solid support. We assembled layers of great staff to bring the unique attributes that our guests love.

When we rebranded our restaurant506, we needed another piece of the puzzle to complete our team, and that was a Maitre’d for the restaurant. My sister, Camille, had been working at a restaurant in Fort Worth, and she was rediscovering her passion for the hospitality industry. She had even expressed a desire to someday open a restaurant. I looked at my Mom and said, “We have one of those … perhaps she could help 32

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(to barely make their flight) on their drive home. I later befriended someone who could consistently pick me up or drop me off each week, which was a huge stress reliever.

I learned a great many other things during the course of the spring, and by the end, I felt confident enough to jump right in to take (and pass) the Intro test with the Court of Master Sommeliers that June in St. Louis, Mo. This experience revealed my passion for wine. Wine somehow brought the world completely into focus. I understood history better through the scope of how wars and exploration affected wineries and varietal transfer. I found I could apply my science background to the chemistry of winemaking.

I saw how geography both scientifically and culturally connected the wines we drink every day to distant and beautiful places. I am still inspired by the world of wine everyday – there is so much to be learned and shared.

While taking this Vegas-adventure wine class, I was simultaneously learning how to be a manager of the restaurant – through some good advice and a lot of trial and error.

The first time a customer complained, I was at a total loss of what to do besides give out free desserts like Oprah does free cars. Something sweet would solve all the problems, right? Years later I now know that effective team communication pre-empts many problems from ever occurring and, if there is a problem, the best way to deal with it is head on with honesty and reasonable compensation to win the customer back if needed.

I know I look young for my position, but I feel that being direct, compassionate, and even-keeled allows me to exude professional competency. I feel especially fortunate to work with my family in Arlington because I have a lot of autonomy over how the restaurant runs. I know the style of service we are going for, and I am familiar with our community. I can make decisions on the fly, plan specialty dinners or nightly features, and empower my staff to work within parameters of their own autonomy to make our guests feel special.

Effective and skillful teamwork is the best reward for me at restaurant506. We have the best employees and manager team. I feel that everyone has adopted The Sanford House into their lives and that they feel like they are a part of the family in some way.

TCU provided me with a fantastic education to face all of life’s challenges, and you can bet I am thrilled to be back on campus taking a Neeley Executive Business Course on Marketing. I’m hoping to apply for my MBA (at TCU and elsewhere in DFW) in the spring. And sometime in the next year I want to take the Certified Sommelier test with the Court of Master Sommeliers. I am so thrilled to be on this path – that’s all anyone wants I think, to be happily challenged and inspired by their career. It was a journey to get here, but I couldn’t have dreamed up the result any better myself.

us run this one!” Camille started three years ago, and has done a great job of working with Chef John to move the restaurant forward to become one of the finest dining establishments in the city.

Working with family is so rewarding. You can completely trust your team, and you have a chance to try something new. We are constantly looking for ways that we can improve our guests’ experience, and we have a chance to keep up with one another through the hustle and bustle of life and work. It isn’t always easy, and separating professional from personal can be tricky, but I love working for my family. I have had autonomy to make big decisions for the business. I have had the chance to try new things and expand my comfort zone. I have had the opportunity to work with so many people in the community, and this allows us to see that Arlington is more successful as a whole.

My family always worked under the philosophy that success is when preparation meets opportunity, and The Sanford House is proof of this success. When you give us the opportunity to serve you, when you share some of your most special occasions with us, we use our training and preparation to ensure that you and your family and your friends thoroughly enjoy these celebrations. From my family to yours – cheers to the future!

Women in Business

Stephanie Foster Gilbert The Law Offices of Stephanie A. Foster, P.C. 4214 Little Road, Suite 1000 (817) 277-2805 stephaniefosterlawyer.com STEPHANIE FOSTER GILBERT started her legal firm, The Law Offices of Stephanie A. Foster, P.C., in 1992, and for the past two and a half decades she has been devoted to the practice of family law.

The firm has produced a formidable team that also features Associate Attorney Michael Munoz, Legal Assistant Ashleigh Bell, Paralegal Sandra Patino and Receptionist Melodie Tappe. Together they concentrate in family legal issues, including divorce, modifications, custody, child support, spousal support, visitation, enforcement of custody/support, paternity and step-parent adoption.

Stephanie Foster Gilbert says her dream of having her own law practice was nurtured as a child. “I always wanted to be an attorney,” she says. “My father, John Foster, is an attorney. When I was a child, I would beg him to take me to work with him at his law firm every summer.”

Her father always sparked a lively dinner conversation by challenging his three young daughters to solve legal dilemmas. The elder Foster and his wife Barbara instilled a love of the law, a passion for learning and a strong work ethic in their girls.

As they were growing up, the Foster girls woke up at dawn to tend to horses and other animals on their Arlington farm before they went off to school where they excelled in their studies.

All three became lawyers.

From day one, Stephanie Foster Gilbert has focused on family law at her practice.

“My professional philosophy is divorce with dignity,” she says, noting that she has taken many special measures to serve her clients in the best manner possible. “I was one of the first attorneys trained in collaborative law, in 2008. Collaborative Law is a way to divorce with dignity with no courts and no war.”

She believes the collaborative law process is a powerful way to generate creative solutions in family law disputes while minimizing financial and emotional damage

Photo courtesy of Stephani Foster Gilbert

to the couple and their children, all the while promoting post-divorce psychological and financial health of the restructured family.

A graduate of Arlington Martin High School, Southern Methodist University in Dallas and St. Mary’s Law School in San Antonio, Stephanie Foster Gilbert was named a “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth, Texas magazine in 2003 and 2008. She works with other attorneys to promote collaborative divorces in Arlington, Fort Worth, Mansfield, Colleyville, Southlake, Hurst, Euless and Bedford.

She is a member of the Collaborative Law Institute of Texas, the International Association of Collaborative Professionals, and the Collaborative Lawyers of Arlington and Mansfield. She is active in the Arlington, Tarrant County and Texas bar associations.

Married 20 years to Richard Gilbert, with two children, two stepchildren and a stepgrandaughter, Stephanie Foster Gilbert believes her parenting roles as a mother, stepmother and grandmother have given her insight and sensitivity to understand her clients. She is especially happy to be able to continue a family tradition started by her father in Arlington.

“I take great care and pride in serving families in the community where I grew up,” she says, adding that her best service isn’t marked by a victory in the courtroom.

“My proudest professional moment is when I am able to use my magic and reconcile a marriage instead of terminating it.”

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Women in Business

Melinda Richardson Parker & Richardson Certified Public Accountants 1000 Ballpark Way, Suite 311 • (817) 226-6100 parkercpas.com MELINDA RICHARDSON is the woman behind the Parker & Richardson, P.C. name. She and partner John Parker launched the business in 2004, after both spent years working in local accounting firms.

While the practice is located in Arlington, it maintains a client list that spans from Alaska to the east coast.

Richardson takes pride in offering an array of services you would find at a larger firm but with the personalized service you can only find at a smaller office. She details how her employees and clients are like family…

Staff: “Our current staff consists of two shareholders, two CPAs, four staff accountants and two paraprofessionals. The majority of our staff has been with us for at least five years. One of our paraprofessionals, Lesa Hayen, and I have worked to34

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gether for more than 30 years. We feel one of the greatest strengths at Parker & Richardson is our continuity of staff.”

Specialty: “Parker & Richardson provides assistance in many differPhoto: Southern Flair Photography ent tasks, everything from payment of the clients’ payables and payrolls to maintaining accounting records. We assist in the preparation of clients’ tax filings for payroll taxes, franchise taxes and individual, corporate and partnership income tax returns. We often act as a part-time CFO or advisor for business clients who have not yet achieved the size of a full-time financial executive.”

Philosophy: “I observed very early in my career that some businesses have a philosophy of ‘everything is fair in business if it creates a profit.’ The ethics employed by some in their personal lives seem to disappear in business environments. This touched me deeply, and I have tried to maintain the highest ethical and professional standards in both my business and personal lives.”

Service: Richardson says she, her partner and staff strive to provide superior and personalized service to their clients. “There is a feeling of being part of an extended family when a client works with us,” she says. “We want to know our clients on a personal level and we want them to know our team of professionals, too. This promotes a comfortable atmosphere so that our clients never hesitate to call if they have questions. When you hire Parker & Richardson, P.C. you hire the entire team. Someone they know is always here and ready to help.”

Proudest Professional Moment: “Being voted the All-Star CPA firm in Arlington, two years in a row.”

Kimberly Fitzpatrick Harris Cook, L.L.P. 709 E. Abram St. • (817) 275-8765 309 E. Broad St. • (817) 473-3332 harriscooklaw.com OFFICIALLY, KIMBERLY FITZPATRICK doesn’t list “juggler” on her professional resume, but when you’re one of the area’s more highly regarded attorneys and the mayor of Dalworthington Gardens, you learn quickly how keep a lot of professional balls in the air.

Not surprisingly, when asked to recall her proudest moment as a professional, Fitzpatrick cites two – one from each of her areas of expertise.

“It would be a tie,” she says, “between winning the first case that I argued to the Texas Supreme Court and being elected as the Mayor of Dalworthington Gardens.”

It’s on the legal front where Fitzpatrick first made her name in the region. She has spent the past eight years as a principal with Harris Cook, L.L.P. She says she chose to pursue a career in law because she wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.

She has done just that for thousands of clients since joining the firm, where she, partner David Cook and 10 employees operate out of offices in Mansfield, Arlington and Flower Mound.

“We are a full-service law firm that is able to help clients with many issues such as business litigation, contract review, entity formation, family and custody issues, injury claims, wills and estate planning, and criminal matters,” she says. “I understand that our clients want creative and timely legal solutions from attorneys who understand their needs and challenges. We also understand that clients want responsiveness and efficiency in the delivery of legal services. My firm’s goal is to deliver all of these. We pride ourselves on tailoring solutions to the particular needs of a client.”

Fitzpatrick says one of the keys to the firm’s success is relationship building that is strengthened by the partners’ involvement in their respective cities. They are about as involved as possible – in addition to Fitzpatrick recently being elected mayor of

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Fitzpatrick

Dalworthington Gardens, Cook is the mayor of Mansfield. “Each of our lawyers really try to make a difference for our clients and in our community,” she says. “Everyone in our firm is very involved in our community.”

Indeed, Fitzpatrick’s social callings match her professional vitae. Here are highlights of some of the Arlington area and statewide professional and service organizations with which she is involved: • The board of the Central YMCA • The board of the TAMU Law School Alumni Association • The board of the Supreme Court of Texas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee • The board of the Arlington Bar Association The sum of all the parts, in and out of the office, is the affirmation that she consistently makes good on her goal of making a difference in people’s lives. “A lot of our clients comment on my persistence,” she says. “One client called me a bull dog – but he meant it in a nice way. I keep working until I get the best result.”

That’s for her clients, for her constituents in her hometown, and for those she serves in the community.

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Women in Business

Reba Blevens Media Matrix 6210 Ken Ave. (817) 925-7141 REBA BLEVENS IS VERY GOOD at drawing attention – to her clients. If you’ve ever had the urge to check out an automobile at the Moritz Auto Group, you likely did so because of Blevens’ handiwork, which is the fruit of marketing experience that dates nearly three decades.

“I started my agency in 1990,” Blevens says. “In 1996, I sold my partnership in the agency and worked solely for the Moritz Auto Group which included Moritz BMW Cadillac MINI, Buz Post GM Buick Isuzu Kia, and the Troy Aikman Automall. Today, the Moritz Dealerships continue to be my primary client. The dealerships now include Chevrolet, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Kia (which currently has three locations in Tarrant County).”

Getting people to take notice requires a skillset that blends art and science. Technically speaking, Blevens is involved in the following practices: • Analyzing market demographics and competitive spending • Negotiating and placing media, including radio, television, newspaper, billboards and digital advertising • Writing, producing and directing television and radio commercials • Directing art design for print materials • Auditing vendor invoices and submitting coop to manufacturers, and • Coordinating special events She works directly with the owners and managers to determine a marketing strategy and utilizes the services of multiple free-lance professionals specific to each project. “Together,” she says, “we develop a campaign that represents both shortterm and long-term goals of the company.”

How Blevens came to be one of the area’s premier marketing gurus is a story unto itself. “I returned to Arlington in 1984 when my second son Spencer was born,” she says. “A high school friend, Mike O’Donnell, was the sales manager at WBAP. He encouraged me to work for him at the radio station. I was reluctant, but ultimately 36

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Photo: Farah White

worked there for five years as an account executive. Several of my clients expressed frustration with the number of media sales reps they had soliciting their advertising business. Many of those clients agreed to allow me to handle that portion of their business. The rest is history, as they say. I love the work I do. After all, I’ve been doing it for over 25 years.”

Blevens says the secret to her success is simple. “I believe that if you pursue your dreams and aspirations with a passion you will achieve success both personally and professionally,” she says. “My business is special because of one-on-one personal attention, availability and accountability.”

She says her proudest moments as a professional come when she has the opportunity to give back and share her success with others. “For example,” she says, “stepping into the classroom to teach Media Buying and Planning at TCU. Hopefully, my first-hand experience helped inspire the students to pursue a career that has been fulfilling for me personally.”

She also enjoys numerous non-profit associations, including the Alliance for Children and the Arlington ISD Executive Foundation. She is serving her second year as co-chair of the “Great Conversation” Dinner benefitting Alliance for Children. “This year,” she says, “the event will feature special guest, former Dallas Cowboy Charles Haley interviewed by Norm Hitzges with Sportsradio/The Ticket. This event is one of the primary fundraisers for AFC.”

Women in Business

Photo: Southern Flair Photography

Brenda Cureton-Smith

BRENDA CURETON-SMITH began her career in the skin care and beauty business 10 years ago as the first United States franchisee of Faces cosmetics, a Canadian company that had a store in the Parks Mall of Arlington. Taking that experience, she founded Great Skin Spa Skin Care & Facial Club five years ago in Arlington, where the company has continued to grow and gain notoriety as an exceptional day spa and skin care provider.

‘I’ve always loved going to spas for professional skin treatments and was always intrigued with how one could keep their skin young looking and nice,” she says. “Being intrigued with makeup, I quickly learned that makeup was only a temporary fix, and it was a nice option to go barefaced and not cause eyebrows to raise. My studies in skin and skin care started many years ago.”

Cureton-Smith and her eight-person staff at Great Skin specialize in anti-aging, wrinkles and fine line reduction, hyper pigmentation, dark doors, uneven skin tone and acne.

The also offer customized home skin care treatments, as well as skin wellness and upkeep treatments.

“In order to fully help each client, it is necessary to understand their individual skin care/quality goals and develop treatment plans to help them reach that goal and relax, rewind and renew on each and every visit,” she says. “Each client must leave with a smile.”

To that end, Great Skin offers cutting-edge technology such as Endermologie; Radio Frequency Skin Tightening and facial contouring; Fat Cavitation; Diamond Tip and I ultrasonic Microdermabrasion; LED; white light therapy; foot and body detoxing; and slimming, fruit-, enzyme- and chemical-based skin peels, as well as teeth whitening and more.

Everything Great Skin does is aimed at enhancing the lives of the company’s clients. “My proudest moment involved a client who was not feeling her best due to a life-changing experience that caused weight gain and skin issues – who had been feeling down, frustrated and less than beautiful – and seeing her at the conclusion of her treatment plan,” Cureton-Smith says. “She looked and felt beautiful and awesome!

My philosophy is to understand each client’s goals and partner with them to achieve or surpass those goals and see them smile and say they achieved the rewards they were looking for. That drives me to want to keep learning, keep staying excited and keep getting better and better.”

Great Skin Spa Skin Care & Facial Club 3851 S.W. Green Oaks Blvd. • (817) 478-2114 greatskin4you.com 38

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Photo courtesy of Sarah Merrill-Young

Sarah Merrill-Young

HELPING OTHERS plot their financial future was literally “in the blood” for Sarah Merrill-Young. The Merrill Financial Group was founded by Sarah’s father Charlie more than half a century ago. She says she takes pride in what he taught her – and in being able to apply it on a daily basis with the company’s clients.

“What has inspired me most was my mentor, my dad,” Sarah says. “I grew up around the financial service business, and thought it was awesome how he helped people with their livelihood. I wanted to do that, but it was intimidating. Financial services is heavily male-dominant. I also watched my mother, who held a director position with the Federal Government, which encouraged me to go for it!”

The Merrill Financial Group staff consists of Charlie, Sarah and a part-time staffer, who work with back office support teams to help people pursue their financial goals.

“What we specialize in is putting the client first, which is something my father instilled in me,” Sarah says. “When you serve people, you will get business – it is really that simple.”

The company offers a wide range of financial products and services to individuals and business owners, including Investments and Tax Deferred Annuities, Employee Benefits, Planning for Business Continuity, College Savings Plans, Retirement Planning, Disability Income, Life Insurance, Group Insurance, Senior Citizen Programs, Charitable Giving, and Estate Planning.

Sarah says her company tries to stay on the cutting edge as it helps clients prosper. “Technology is here in a big way in our industry,” she says. “It is definitely becoming a way of life. We are implementing much more “touches” with clients and prospects, keeping individuals informed of the changing financial environment that affects us all.”

Sarah’s proudest professional moment is also her latest accomplishment – which took a year and half of juggling her life to become a Retirement Income Certified Professional. “I believe I am well equipped to assist people who are serious about their situations and want help,” she says.

Merrill Financial Group 1807 W. Park Row Drive • (817) 460-4051 merrillfg.com

Photo courtesy of Linda Maggazine

Linda Magazzine

LINDA MAGAZZINE didn’t set out to become a successful and award-winning real estate professional, but her previous career kept pointing her in that direction.

“I was a field editor for Better Homes and Garden Magazine for the Texas Region,” she says. “That is where I found my love of homes and realized I could make a good living doing what I really enjoyed.”

So, in 1978 she changed career paths and in rapid fashion turned The Linda Magazzine Group of Ebby Halliday, REALTORS® into one of the region’s premier real estate entities.

The Linda Magazzine Group specializes in luxury living. Its production over the past nine years has exceeded $100 million in sales, and she continues to stack up accomplishments, including being named Ebby Halliday’s Top Individual or Group Producer for the Arlington office for more than 10 years, earning No. 7 company-wide in sales in 2004, and being ranked in the top 5 percent nationwide for nearly two and a half decades.

“We are a full-service operation, offering our clients premiere service in either buying, selling or renting,” Magazzine says. The group includes a showing agent and administrative manager, who team with Magazzine to embrace a professional philosophy founded on providing superior customer service.

“The best interests of our clients will always come first, and we will place the clients’ concerns ahead of our own in each and every transaction, as we are dedicated to the development of long-term client relationships,” she says. “Our team-approach philosophy ensures your needs are important to each and every member of our organization.”

Magazzine has now been in the real estate industry for 38 years, but it’s where she conducts business that gives her special pride. “I live in Arlington, I work in Arlington and I believe in my city and community,” she says. “Giving back is very important to me. I have built wonderful relationships over the years, and I truly feel our clients are our best asset.”

The Linda Magazzine Group, Ebby Halliday REALTORS® 1201 W. Green Oaks Blvd. • (817) 654-8589 ebby.com/agents_offices/find_agent/team/thelindamagazzinegroup

Lauren and Kay Duggan Photo: Arlington Today

Kay and LaurenDuggan “DEEP DISH IN THE HEART OF TEXAS.” That’s the tagline for Gino’s East off of Copeland Road in North Arlington. While the restaurant has a 50-year history in the Chicago area, it has only been open here a little more than a year, and has quickly become a local favorite.

Kay Duggan and her daughter Lauren bought the business in June 2016. After decades of working in the corporate world, Duggan explains it’s a welcome change …

Inspiration: “I wanted to invest in a business that is owned and run by women. Having a family business and working side by side with my daughter has been a remarkable experience.”

Specialty: “Our business plan and strategy included finding an established business that is unique where product is the centerpiece. We felt there was an opportunity in the Italian food category. In addition to offering the best deep dish pizza in the country, we offer a full menu of options. The kitchen is a “scratch” kitchen so the quality of our food is superior.”

Philosophy: “We want to provide an exceptional experience based on the quality of our food and service. We will continue to enhance menu options and vary our events, including celebrity bartenders, Italian wine dinners, craft beer sampling and make your own pizza parties, to create an exciting venue. Being good stewards in our community is also an integral part of our philosophy.

Throughout the year we will designate a charity that will receive a percentage of that day’s proceeds.”

Service: “The warm setting with leather tufted banquettes, a newly expanded private dining room and a welcoming bar for Game Day are big selling points in our establishment. We welcome opportunities to cater or host your private party, from rehearsal dinners and birthday celebrations to pre-game dinners.”

Gino’s East 1350 E. Copeland Road • (817) 809-7437 ginoseast.com/locations/arlington#home arlingtontoday.com • October 2016 • ARLINGTON TODAY

39

Women in Business

Photo courtesy of Audiology Experts Photo: Southern Flair Photography

Connie Gauntt

CONNIE GAUNTT bought Gene Allen’s Gifts three Hallmark stores from Gene Allen in 1996 and this year is celebrating owning the business for 20 years – “even though,” she says, “people still ask me if I’m the new owner!’”

Granted, Gene Allen’s Gifts has been providing quality gifts and services to the Arlington area for more than five decades, and the company’s namesake is a local retail legend. But Gauntt took what she learned from working with Gene Allen and built on the foundation he established.

“I went to work for Mr. Allen in 1991 as the store manager at the Randol Mill location,” she says. “I then became the buyer and later became general manager. Mr. Allen asked me to purchase the stores in 1995, and we made it official in 1996. I’ve never looked back!”

The award-winning stores focus on unique product selection and on creating a onestop shopping experience. “Our customer service is hard to find these days among other retailers,” Gauntt says. “We still do complimentary gift wrap for most purchases!”

The Gene Allen’s Gifts team consists of 30 part-time and full-time employees, and additional help is added for the holidays. Gauntt says everyone who works with her is dedicated to providing the ideal shopping experience for their customers – and more.

“Gene Allen’s Gifts has been in Arlington for over 50 years, and community involvement is extremely important to us,” she says. “ We give back through store-wide fundraisers that go to local non-profit organizations, such as Mission Arlington, SafeHaven, Big Brothers & Sisters and more.”

Gauntt says the key to the company’s success is its ability to connect with customers.

“I do all of my marketing and social media posts myself,” she says. “I use many apps to create my social media content. I also create two catalogs a year that we mail to our customers; and I do the design layout, picture taking and descriptions. I love it!”

Gauntt says her proudest professional moment came when she was awarded the SafeHaven Legacy Award for Business Woman in Arlington in 2009. Another milestone moment, she adds, was “celebrating our 50th Anniversary in 2015 with Mayor of Arlington Jeff Williams, City Council and Chamber of Commerce members, the President of Hallmark and his team, and of course, family and friends that have supported our business for the last 50 years. That was a crowning achievement!”

Gene Allen’s Gifts 1638 W Randol Mill Road • (817) 277-7501 • 255 SouthWest Plaza • (817) 478-4788 geneallensgifts.com • facebook/geneallensgifts • instagram.com/geneallensgifts 40

ARLINGTON TODAY • October 2016 • arlingtontoday.com

Drs. Kristin Robbins and Lisa B. Fell

THIS PAST SUMMER, Audiology Experts co-founders Dr. Lisa B. Fell and Dr. Kristin Robbins celebrated the practice’s eighth anniversary. The audiologists have clearly struck a chord with their patients – because of the way they work with them.

“We are thorough,” says Dr. Fell. “We listen. We actually READ their case histories.

We ask MORE questions. We dig deeper. People are MORE than their hearing loss.

The people who walk through our doors or call our office are more than a sale or a set of hearing aids. They are a person with family, friends, co-workers. They have fears, worries, concerns, and all of those need to be acknowledged and addressed – even if to say ‘we hear you.’”

Audiology Experts tailors appointments to each patient. The audiologists know there is no cookie-cutter recipe. They realize each person needs something different, and they look and search and work to find it and then provide it to patients if it is possible.

“We are co-owners and long time friends – two women starting and operating an audiology practice is somewhat rare in the industry,” Dr. Fell says. “Especially, since many of the hearing aid places are owned by large corporations. Getting your hearing healthcare at the same place you get bulk food and paper towels just does not represent the kind of hearing healthcare people should expect or accept.

When you talk to an individual (or their spouse/significant other) about their hearing loss and how it impacts life, it can stir up some emotion – being comfortable in the environment and being with a professional who obviously and genuinely cares is definitely a more effective way of managing hearing healthcare, hearing instruments and the expectations that come with them. By being independently owned and operated, we are able to insure that the people we treat are getting the very best care we have to offer.”

Dr. Fell says another advantage to being co-owners is that their patients get two audiologists, who have peer-to-peer discussions on challenging cases – and that translates into better care for patients: “We trust each other in our care for our patients, which means if I’m on vacation my patients can still call if a problem arises, and Dr. Robbins will take care of them for me, and vice versa.”

Audiology Experts 1261 W. Green Oaks Blvd., Suite 105 • (817) 451-4818 AudiologyExperts.com

Gloria Van Zandt REALTOR® Broker Associate

CRB, CRS, ABR, SRES, GRI, PSC gloriavz@aol.com • Past President, Arlington Board of Realtors • 2015 Realtor Emeritus, National Association of Realtors • Real Estate Sales and Broker for 43 years • 1995-2000 - Advisory Committee Chairman of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M Research Center • Certified Property Staging Consultant & Senior Real Estate Specialist Photo: Southern Flair Photography

Mary Davis

ANYTHING GOES has as apt a name for a retail business as you can find – which is just what Mary Davis was hoping for when she opened the eclectic gift shop in Pantego in February 2011.

“Having lived and worked in the Arlington/Pantego area for over 30 years, I knew at some point I would love to open a store,” she says. “So in the fall of 2010, we were shopping in a small town boutique in Oklahoma, waiting for a football game, when I told my husband, ‘This is the kind of shop I would love to open,’ and he said ‘let’s do it!’”

That inspiration became the Arlington area’s newest family owned gift shop, which offers a mix of traditional gifts, specialty gifts, college and school gifts and sports memorabilia.

“We strive to bring in unique gifts from markets all over the U.S.,” Davis says.

“These items include a large selection of jewelry, handbags, college and Greek items, home decor, baby/children gifts and much more.”

When Davis says “we,” she is referring to a staff that includes the aforementioned husband Doug, herself and four part-time helpers. Besides encouraging Mary to push forward with her dream to be a retailer, Doug provides a personality for the store that is in keeping with its iconic name. “Anyone who knows my husband knows this could be interesting!,” Mary says.

The Davises like to have a good time, so it’s not surprising that their retail venture follows suit. “Our goal is for each customer to have a fun shopping experience that results in finding that special gift for any person or occasion,” Mary says. “I believe what sets us apart is our one-on-one customer service and our ability to help customers ‘think out of the box’ when shopping for their friends and family.

And Anything Goes is a great socializing place, too.”

Mary says she is glad she and Doug acted on their initial instinct five years ago.

“Our proudest accomplishment,” she says, “is bringing to Arlington/Pantego this amazing ‘hometown’ gift shop that people enjoy!”

Anything Goes 2504 W. Park Row Drive, Suite A • Phone number (817) 542-0862 anythinggoesgiftshop.com

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