20 Exceptional Women 2016 by Billings Gazette

2016

20 Exceptional Women

EXCEPTIONAL

WOMEN

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Exceptional Women Luncheon

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Honoring 20Women in our Community Featuring

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in our community

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Sunday, August 28, 2016

Exceptional Women 2016 Table of Contents BARBARA BRADY

ABBY HINTHORNE

JOAN NYE

RENO CHARETTE

LAURIE HOUDE

KIRA PERTUIT

JOY CULVER

KORI KELLER

NORENE PETERSON

KATIE EDWARDS

JENNIFER MERCER

DANA PULIS

8 15

KAREN FAGG

SUZANNE MCKIERNAN 13

ALEX TYSON

JANINE GRIFFIN

MOLLY GILLEN MILLS

KATHRYN WAITMAN

JOAN HENDRICKS

MARGARET NEEDHAM 17

Exceptional women, exceptional passion By EVELYN NOENNIG “I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”– Oprah Winfrey Within these pages we celebrate the 20 Exceptional Women who come from all walks of life, who have been shaped and formed by the people, the joys and the heartbreak they have experienced during their lifetime. These women have chosen to take a path forward to make a difference for themselves and others in the world around them. NOENNIG They have found their passion. Finding your passion is a personal journey that you hope will have a gratifying outcome. Some seem to have been born with passion, excelling into what they love. Others work at the process their whole lives never finding exactly what is fulfilling. Then there are the rest of us, by accident or by tragedy have the opportunity to embrace a moment when in our hearts we know we can make a difference and choose to build a future upon it. When it happens, as I found out by the chance encounter of reading a book, something inside says “You need to do this; you need to start this organiza-

tion!” You ignore the feeling but that little voice continues to say “you need to do this.” Then comes the fear of failure, excitement for success, and finally, you commit and take action. When you have the passion, the vision comes to life. You join with others to drive the message, involve like-mined women to share the work and soon you have impacted a community. That’s how Billings Chapter of The Transition Network was born. I needed to do this, and now we have 98 members. We are one of 13 chapters in the nation. Now, a group of amazing women are enjoying a network of others they didn’t have a year ago as they move into the next stage of life. Indeed, it’s good to listen to that little voice in your head. We hope you will enjoy our honorees’ stories as much as we have enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of the process bringing them to you. Communication is what we do for you every day by bringing local up-to-date coverage via print and online but, having the chance to honor amazing women who get up every morning, work hard and change people’s lives, expecting nothing in return, is awe-inspiring for us to share with you. We had 400-plus nominations this year. Each and every nominee has a passion and is making a difference in Billings; we are a better community because of them. Congratulations! Evelyn Noennig Executive Assistant to the Publisher Public Relations Manager

We Celebrate Exceptional Women. Billings Clinic has achieved many milestones along our path to clinical excellence. The national recognitions we have received are due in a large part to the extraordinary contributions of women, who have pioneered change, and continued to push us to the forefront of excellence.

Did you know? • 79% of our employees are women • 64% of our leadership roles are filled by women • Our first female physician was hired in the 50’s • Only Magnet organization in our region recognized for nursing excellence

Billingsclinic.com Sunday, August 28, 2016

‘Living well is as important as dying well’ By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Kathryn Waitman loves a job that might intimidate others. Waitman is a nurse practitioner in oncology. She works at Billings Clinic and treats cancer. And yet it is that work — with sometimes heartbreaking cases — that she loves. “I have patients who allowed me into their lives during very difficult Kathryn Waitman times who inspire me daily to keep moving forward,” Waitman said. “My motto is: ‘Living well is as important as dying well.’” Because of her work with patients, hearing the sometimes harrowing stories, and being called to heal them, she is one of Billings’ 20 Exceptional Women for 2016. “After doing this, I cannot imagine doing anything else,” Waitman said. But, when she started in nursing, she thought about something else.

“Oncology was the only full-time position available at the time I graduated,” she said. “I believe God puts us where we are meant to be and this area of nursing is my passion.” Remission isn’t always possible, instead her job is simply to help every patient have time to live well. “I don’t deal with just the physical aspect,” Waitman said. “It comes from a nursing background which says it’s not just physical. It’s emotional. It’s spiritual. It’s psychological, too.” She admits she has bad days — those days when the battle against disease is being lost. However, she credits her family, especially her husband who serves as her “biggest cheerleader,” who serve as her support system. “The Hallmark Channel or Hallmark greeting cards are my getaways,” Waitman said. Those allow her to decompress, and sometimes “cry my eyes out.” Yet, she finds her job hopeful. Cancer is no longer a death sentence in many cases with new drugs and therapies. “Cancer is now what diabetes and heart

Give hope back By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com She does it for Forrest and Annie. Forrest was her first child, stillborn. Annie was her second who died in the neonatal intensive care unit. “No one ever goes into pregnancy assuming it’s not going to be a good outcome,” Molly Mills said. But the outcome of her first two pregnanMolly Mills cies was something most parents cannot imagine and will not think about. And because of that, not many — even most of the healthcare professionals then — knew what to say to her. “It was a time of great isolation. I remember thinking, ‘There are no resources and no one understands,’” Mills said. “And it was too painful. It’s something that anyone in childbearing years has difficulty speaking about because it leaves you so vulnerable.” Mills later gave birth to three other children — Elisabeth, Ellen and Jared. But Forrest and Annie served as an inspiration for her to counteract some of those same feelings of isolation and hurt parents who lose a child during or shortly after the birth process experience. Today, more than 30 years

Sunday, August 28, 2016

helped her to live life fully, too. She loves spending time with her family, her grandchildren as well as volunteering for charities, including Relay for Life, Wounded Warrior Project, World Vision and the Billings Clinic Scholarship Committee. “If it feels like work, then it’s time to change. And for me, even after more than 20 years, it doesn’t feel like work. I love everything about it,” Waitman said. Except one thing. “I don’t love the politics and insurance,” Waitman said. “Getting people through insurance has made treating people onerous. That’s the only thing I don’t like. I spend hours talking to insurance companies. And I sometimes have to say, ‘Sorry, it’s your insurance company.’” She loves coming to work because she’s BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff surrounded by great colleagues — nursKathryn Waitman es, navigators, doctors and staff who rally disease was 20 years ago — it may be a around patients. That serves as an inspirachronic disease which needs to be managed,” tion to her. “I treat people so they can live life,” WaitWaitman said. Helping others to live a more full life has man said.

Rainbow support group helps parents cope with pregnancy, infant loss

later, she provides parental support for the neonatal intensive care units, giving information to parents and after founding the Rainbow Parent Support group, a peer parenting group aimed at helping other parents cope with a pregnancy or infant loss. For years, the Rainbow support group met monthly at her house. Now, those duties are shared with co-facilitator, Traci Reichebach. For her work with grieving parents and community education, Mills has been named one of 2016’s Exceptional Women. Every parent who has a question about a medical condition or every parent who experiences loss may work with Mills. They’re also given information about support groups or the option of individual meetings. The most important part, Mills said, is that parents know there’s support. It was the head nurse at the NICU at St. Vincent that encouraged her to do something. June Sargent supported the idea not just for parents, but for many of the healthcare professionals who simply didn’t know what to say or do after a pregnancy loss. “The nurses were also bereaved and may have just as many issues. They can be shocked by the loss, too,” Mills said. “This also validated what they felt.” Some of the changes have been profound but maybe not obvious. For example, in the

case of a stillbirth, the protocol at the hospitals is to ask the parents if they want to hold the child at least twice. That was because when Forrest was born, they asked Mills only once. She was still in disbelief, said no, and believed the nursing staff would ask more than once. They didn’t, and she never held her own son. Now, staff asks twice. Other changes are more noticeable. Talking about death and having more understanding about the issue has helped. Now, healthcare workers — including nurses and doctors — are trained about the issues of pregnancy and infant loss; a panel parents share their experiences with medical professionals. “After I had my third child, people — meaning well — would ask, ‘Well, what did you do differently the third time,” Mills said. “Implying that the losses were somehow the failure of the mother... And every mother would rather blame herself than not have answers.” She also started the support group precisely because she wasn’t a medical provider or a therapist. “This was strictly from a parent’s perspective,” Mills said. “Nothing lessens the grief. They must figure out how to incorporate it into their life. Even though it doesn’t lessen or go away, you just learn how to deal

Molly Mills

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

with this deep grief. This wasn’t just about healing but how do we regain hope and joy.” Even though it was eight years after the death of her son before she’d be able to start Rainbow, she found that parents who had been through similar situations were eager to share. “All of us want our children honored and remembered and it affects hundreds of families. It is the connection to our children. Everyone wanted to tell their stories,” Mills said. She shares her story because it is a connection to her children. “There is joy knowing that my children mattered,” Mills said. “Every parent who has talked to me in a way has validated them.”

Giving of herself while encouraging others to give By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com When you get right down to it, Joan Hendricks helps people figure out their own legacy. Her resume is a who’s-who list of great area organizations — the Montana Arts Foundation, ZooMontana, the Billings Clinic Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs

Joan Hendricks of Yellowstone County and now, she’s an estate giving officer for St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation. Hendricks helps people who want to leave money, property or estates figure out what matters most — what do the donors want to be remembered by and what is important to them? It’s heady work, summarizing a donor’s lifetime, but at its essence are the one-on-one relationships Hendricks loves. For her work at helping local organizations succeed into the

future, Hendricks is one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. She loves building the relationships with donors and people who have an affinity for the organizations for which she’s worked. They have indeed been good causes — animals, kids, arts and healthcare. “It’s that collaboration between organizations which had a need and individuals who could do something,” Hendricks said. She’s learned a lot about the role of passion in giving. She remembers Jane Reger’s determination to create something unique as she led the efforts to create the sensory garden at ZooMontana. “She had a blind passion for gardening,” Hendricks said. “Seeing her work at the Lions Club or Rotary and getting the chance to help her do that was very rewarding.” Hendricks also loves the challenge of fundraising and philanthropy — seeing a need and finding a donor who shares the same passion. Her recent efforts in building and expanding the pe-

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

Joan Hendricks

diatrics program at St. Vincent is a good example. “Sometimes, it’s like finding that needle in a haystack,” Hendricks said. She also sees herself as a steward and advocate for those who give. “(Donors) have dreams. You

see how hard they worked and what they sacrificed and that they made this choice to give,” Hendricks said. It’s that quiet, sometimes anonymous generosity that Hendricks said has enriched her life. “To be a fundraiser is to be behind the scenes,” Hendricks said.

“It’s our donor and our volunteers who are the stories.” Hendricks credits her parents with instilling values, but she also remembers a time in high school when, as a young woman from Havre, she went on a three-week “Citizenship Trip” sponsored through a coalition of churches. She joined 30 other Montana teenagers in 1973 for a tour of inner cities and the country. They went to Harlem, Chicago and Washington, D.C. “You have a narrow view of the world in Havre, but it broadens your horizons,” Hendricks said. “The human suffering is apparent. I grew up in such an affluent family because I didn’t grow up hungry.” Seeing those stories helped Hendricks listen to others’ stories. “She loves listening to people’s stories as she gets to know them, and finds work incredibly rewarding and meaningful,” said Julie Green who nominated Hendricks. “As she has fulfilled her passions, she has often been touched by the compassion of others as they strive to help others.”

Congratulations on being recognized as one of Billings’ 20 Exceptional Women. Barbara Brady & Joan Hendricks

Call for Salute Nominations Honoring Women

of Achievement as well as Organizations and Individuals

St. Vincent Healthcare is focused on quality and driven to provide the best patient care experience in the region. Our core values are reflected in the work of associates like Barb and Joan. Congratulations!

who Empower, Mentor and Inspire women to be all they can be! Due by Feb. 3. Email events@ywcabillings.org or call 406.252.6303 for forms. Join the fun! Come to the Salute Celebration on Friday April 7, 2017! Sunday, August 28, 2016

Making one grandparent at a time By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com If there was such a thing as a sports agent for grandparents, Barbara Brady would be it. That’s how she sees herself: Working to place a team of grandparent-aged volunteers with just the right team. In this case, though, the team has nothing to do with athletics and the teammates are more motivated by M&Ms than money. Brady runs Barbara Brady the St. Vincent Healthcare Foster Grandparent Program, which seeks to place around 50 volunteer grandparents in schools and daycare programs throughout Billings as tutors and mentors. It’s part of the Senior Corps volunteer program. For about the past dozen years, Brady has been growing the program and relishing the results that come when the tutors and mentors — generations apart — form the bond of friendship. Or the thrill of a senior man who never had a family of his own hears a room full of kids scream, “Grandpa.”

Barbara Brady

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

“It’s more than a job, it’s a mission,” Brady said. “Pay is one thing. I was told a long time ago part of your pay in any job is something else. For me, it’s the satisfaction I take in helping people.”

For her work with the foster grandparent program, Brady is one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. Brady’s sense of mission comes from a firm belief in life after retirement. “People who retire are put on a shelf, but look at the skills they have acquired throughout a life,” Brady said. “When you retire, you can lose your identity. You lose your job. But this gives volunteers a purpose and and a reason to get up. Old doesn’t mean not fruitful.” Even though she has a bachelor’s in hotel management, she’s found herself working mostly with seniors throughout her career. Even though the two fields may seem far apart, she sees the similarities easily. “The hospitality industry is about making people happy, and I love making people happy,” Brady said. “I gravitated toward seniors because they need happiness and because not all seniors have it.” She recruits, trains and supports the grandparents as they are placed in Billings. She matches the volunteers, who are paid a small stipend, with teachers — and more importantly— kids who

need them. “They need the one-on-one with a grandma and grandpa who is not connected to anyone,” Brady said. She has received national recognition for her training program, which equips the volunteers with the tools they’ll need to be successful in a classroom. The program covers six counties, including three reservations. Even though it’s a lot of work managing that many volunteers spread out, Brady offers a lot of support for them, including going to class with them on the first day. “We form relationships with volunteers. We know them. We become like family and some of them may not have family or family in the area,” Brady said. She loves matching the right foster grandparent with the right teacher. Some of the grandparents are looking for volunteer opportunities. Some are retired teachers who miss the classroom. Several are retired school cooks who miss the kids. “Obviously, it’s great seeing the kids love them,” Brady said. “But I am even more proud of watching our volunteers bloom and grow.”

Helping the community move into the light By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com What began as a struggle in middle school for her son has turned into a mission for Joan Nye. Her son, John Meyer, battled with depression in middle school. Before he began college in 1999, he completed suicide at the age of 19. Joan Nye “You never expect suicide, but in my case, when it happened, I wasn’t shocked,” Nye said. “I just didn’t dream it could happen.” Like any parent, Nye was devastated. But she also experienced the stigma and isolation that comes along with having a suicide in the family. “I was in a fog for a couple of years,” Nye said. At the time, she and her husband were building a new home in Stillwater County. They had to put that on hold after John’s death. “It was so hard walking into the office or walking into a store and talking about flooring or cabinets,” Nye said of the grief

Sunday, August 28, 2016

and sadness. She grieved privately and with family or friends. At first, she didn’t want much to do with talk of suicide prevention and mental illness. “It was anathema,” she said. “It was too late for my son.” But slowly Nye became educated about causes of mental illness and suicide. “You don’t have any choice when you find out about the illness and understand the stigma,” Nye said. And that’s why she’s become a passionate advocate and speaks often, helping to eradicate the taboo of mental illness and suicide. Her goal is “to help create a culture that is smart about mental health.” Ninety percent of people who complete suicide have a treatable illness, Nye said. “This is my nearly full-time, unpaid occupation in retirement,” said Nye, a “mostly retired lawyer.” For her service and her advocacy work, Nye is one of 20 women being honored this year in the Exceptional Women awards. “When Joan found no specific support organization dealing with the tragic

loss of suicide, she founded ‘Survivors of Suicide’ and has given of her time, compassion and love to coordinate this group twice a month for nearly 10 years,” said Kay Foster, who nominated Nye. “She has received little public recognition for her selfless devotion to those suffering from the loss of a parent, child, sibling or friend.” Nye sees her role as an educator and an advocate for more awareness. “Suicide is almost always multifaceted and not just one cause,” Nye said. “It can affect every age, gender, social status, no matter how gifted, and depression is the leading cause.” It’s the isolation of depression that she’s trying to overcome. “You don’t have to walk around with the dark cloud of depression. It’s not a sign of weakness. And, it’s a sign of strength to ask for help,” Nye said. She’s worked since 2004 on the Out of the Darkness Community Walk and has led the efforts every year thereafter. Since 2006, she became the chairwoman of the Montana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, building a statewide board of directors.

Joan Nye

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

Her work with others in outreach, education and prevention has also helped her. “Ironically as you’re speaking out and fundraising to help others, you’re not only helping others, but in the process you’re processing your own grief,” Nye said. Whether it’s depression, mental illness or mourning a loss from suicide, Nye said it’s important for her to remind people “there’s not quick fix.” Please see Nye, Page 11

From building a house to building a spirit By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Janine Griffin is a builder. She’s built houses. She’s built beautiful living spaces. She’s even helped form the spirituality of teenagers. Now, the mother of four and grandmother of seven is building a business where women can recharge and rejuvenate. “You don’t find time, you make it,” she said. Her mission is to help women and men feel whole again through her business, Central WellJanine Griffin ness. In the process, she’s also been able to give to her community through The Center for Children and Families and Relay for Life. And yet, it’s her service as a seminary teacher for her church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that she describes as “the hardest but one of the most rewarding jobs” she’s had. For her success in business and her work in the community and at church, Griffin has been named of one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. “Women are busy and they’re taking care of families and we don’t make time for ourselves,” Griffin said. “At Central Wellness, women can come in and be who they are and be themselves.” Many of the clients Central Wellness has have amazing stories and many have struggled through disease. “We sit and visit whenever a client comes through the door,” Griffin said. “I cry as much as I laugh.” That, in turn, has changed her life in the process. “I have become more compassionate,” she said. “I used to be more business oriented and focused. It’s probably softened me a little.” Alyson Murnion nominated Griffin for the Exceptional Women award. She said Griffin leads by example, pushing her employees to be their “best versions everyday.” “Her goal is to make women realize how important they are, to take time to pamper and spoil themselves and to also be healthy and happy,” Murnion said. She was also transformed by four years as a seminary teacher. That re-

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Janine Griffin

THANK YOU women of the Rimrock family for your hard work, professionalism, and customer care.

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

quired her to be at seminary, before school started at 6:30 a.m. “They had so much room for growth and development,” Griffin said. But being at school at 6:30 meant she was up at 4:45 a.m. “(The students) came because they wanted to be there,” Griffin said. But it surprised her when this group of teenagers also wanted to be around beyond the classroom. She found herself hosting movies and popcorn on a Friday night, learning much from them. “They wanted to have time together,” Griffin said. “I was blessed to be a part of their life. Invest in people. It doesn’t mean money, it means time.” She witnessed the miracle of giving back, too. “I’m a worker. I would not go home until 7, 7:30 at night,” Griffin said. “Preparing the lesson would take two, twoand-a-half hours. I would get down on bended knee and ask for more time. And, time stood still because I would be able to get it done, get to bed and still have enough energy to do it.” Griffin’s seemingly endless store of energy comes in part from her worldview. “It’s about an eternal perspective,” Griffin said. “We are not here to serve ourselves, but to serve others.”

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Striving for ‘greater than’ every day By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Dana Pulis doesn’t just talk about culture. She invests in it. And that investment has paid dividends greater than what can be seen on a balance sheet. Sure, she created Kinetic, a comprehensive communications and marketing agency that has grown from a table in her living room to an expanding downtown Billings business. She does what many companies Dana Pulis talk about but fewer do — truly invest in culture. That means job coaches, teambuilding excursions as well as encouragement for personal wellness. Her employees have gym memberships. The office refrigerator isn’t stocked with a hodgepodge of forgotten containers of leftovers, rather healthy food and drinks for employees to enjoy. “The office culture never worked for anyone,” Pulis said. “You’re living with the people you work with for nine hours a day. What happens if you feel like they’re your friends and you’re supported by them? That sounds like a lovely mantra, but I have very specifically invested in culture.”

To the tune of tens of thousands of dollars per year. That investment has seen Kinetic grow to a $2.5 million company in just a little less than 10 years. For her work in business and communication, Pulis is one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. It was because she was never a part of the “office politics game,” that led her to create something different. She saw so many places wracked by politics and agendas. She wondered how much time and effort went into those politics, and how much creative energy was being siphoned away from businesses. She also understood that creating a great office culture wasn’t something that could just be spoken into existence, rather it had to be intentional, deliberate and something in which to invest. Yet, it wasn’t enough just to invest in group excursions outside of the office. She also had to surround herself with the best and expect great results. “I have very, very good people who are doing their best,” Pulis said. “I have surrounded myself with people who are smarter than me and better than me and are exceptional in their talent.” Pulis’ talent isn’t just leading the success-

ful company. “I’m a people grower,” Pulis said. “I spend as much on culture as I do the business because when you work on the culture then you get a company that isn’t as distracted by the office things.” Those aren’t just nice-sounding words from a leader of a company who works with them all day long. She estimates intentional spending on culture at $5,000 per month. Sometimes it could be a team exercise of hiking where staff members push themselves harder than they thought, together. Other times, it’s a group outing for pure fun because culture should be fun, too, Pulis said. “We have to learn from each other,” Pulis said. She’s grown in the most organic way a business can — she started out as a freelance writer, setting a modest goal for herself of just $500 per month. From there, she began marketing and communications work for Kampgrounds of America and St. Vincent Healthcare. The company’s motto — greater every day — isn’t just something slapped on a brochure or a website. For Pulis, it’s an expectation that her company will become greater every day.

Dana Pulis

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

“What I want from (staff) is all of you. You may have had a fight with your wife or the dog may have ate your shoe,” Pulis said. “But, when you walk in, I need all of you. I need your best self. I have to create the culture where that happens.” Pulis has added 20 jobs to the local economy, and has served as an inspiration to others in her field. “Talent permeates Kinetic’s office — talent directed by a leader whose intrepid advances into 21st Century marketing and brand development carve a fresh path,” said Allyn Hulteng, principal at Rebel River Creative.

Easing the pain of others’ loss By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com They were words spoken to Kori Keller at one of the darkest points in her life in November 2011. Keller’s father, Larry Grendahl, said to her, “No one should ever have to pay for their baby’s funeral.” It was the kind and generous act of paying for the funeral of his granddaughter, R a m s e y Keller, that Kori Keller gave rise to the idea that has grown into the Ramsey Keller Memorial. The non-profit memorial’s mission is simple: To pay for the funerals of infants who died in Montana. Out of the Kellers’ pain grew something that would help other families who were grieving. For her efforts at starting the foundation, Kori Keller has been named of one of 20 Exceptional Women in 2016. “We are so humbled to walk beside these hurting Montana families and offer a glimpse of hope,” Keller said.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

It’s a profound idea: Take the expense of a funeral from the families who are grieving. “It’s not like all the pressure and stress is lifted, but it is one less thing you have to worry about. It allows the families to focus and honor the child in the way they want,” Keller said. Keller and Ramsey’s story have helped create a legacy. When Keller talks about the mission, she can speak from the experience. “You’re not going to get away from a funeral home if your baby dies,” Keller said. “But we’re going to lessen the load and you can focus on grieving.” Working with families who are grieving is a constant reminder of her own loss, Keller explained, but it’s also a way to honor Ramsey’s life, which ended because of a rare condition known as hydrops fatalis. “To walk with people in the trenches during their darkest times — I try to put my emotions aside, but you can’t help but weep for the families,” Keller said. “I don’t pretend I don’t have a connection. I honestly feel you can’t do this unless it’s your calling. Part of it was selfish. It was in her name and we wanted no one to forget her.”

So far, the Ramsey Keller Memorial has paid for an average of 50 funerals per year, but statistically there are as many as 120 infant deaths and so Keller believes there’s still sadly plenty of other families the foundation could reach as word of the program spreads. She understands the challenges parents and grieving families face. “It’s out of order and your heart and your brain have a hard time comprehending that. It’s like a dream in which you never wake up,” Keller said. “It’s a continuous nightmare.” Nearly a dozen people nominated her for the Exceptional Women award. But it’s her husband, Jeff, who summed up what his wife has done. “It’s one thing to take the reins of a business that is existing and be profitable and grow the business,” he said. “It’s entirely different to make something out of nothing and to get people to buy into your dream and passion in order to help our brothers and sisters in the Montana community.” The aim of the organization is straightforward, too, which Keller believes has helped the foundation grow.

Kori Keller

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

“We (reach out) only in the state of Montana and only funeral costs for infants,” Keller said. “We knew quickly that we couldn’t go up against medical bills and we didn’t want qualifications. This is funeral costs and having that relief was key.” For Keller, everything about the memorial is personal, from the cause to the name. “This is how I parent,” Keller, a mother of five, said. “I am a champion of my children’s causes. This is how I champion her cause.”

Opportunity begets opportunity By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com With every new situation Karen Fagg encounters, she gets back to her roots. Those roots run deep — all the way to Anaconda, where she grew up. To her father’s bar and her mother’s restaurant. The kind of places where you learn that hard work pays off, and you have to treat people right in a town where everyone knows each other. T hose Karen Fagg were pretty good life lessons for Fagg who began with a degree in math and parlayed that into a successful company and career, complete with an impressive resume of community service on nonprofit boards. When she first began serving she wondered why it was that as soon as she joined there seemed to be a crisis — from minor to catastrophic. “Then you realize organizations have crises,” Fagg said. “But that’s what’s inspirational: That you have this group of people with different backgrounds truly coming together and they come up with great solutions that you would have never imagined

possible.” And it’s the strength that comes from teamwork that continues to be her greatest reward. Moreover, it’s the love of a good challenge that keeps her coming back. “I like decision-making. I like the challenges,” Fagg said. Those challenges range from managing her own firm to real estate to serving as chairwoman of the Billings Catholic School Board, which is undergoing a huge fundraising and building effort for a new school on Colton Boulevard in Billings. She’s on the board of Montana-Dakota Utilities, is serving on the St. Vincent Healthcare board and is going on the board of the YWCA in Billings. Previously, she served as the President of HKM Engineering, and has been a past board chairwoman of the Billings Chamber of Commerce and served on the boards of ZooMontana and the Billings Clinic. For her accomplishments in business and in public service, Fagg has been named one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. She broke into and succeeded in business and engineering, largely when it was a male-dominated field.

“Early in my career, because I was a woman, I think it opened some doors for me,” Fagg said. “But once those doors opened, I had to work twice as hard to prove I belonged there.” Now, part of the joy she has is recognizing the talent in others and giving them the same opportunities she had to succeed. She gives out the advice she’s learned from a career of successes, including “work very hard — that’s true no matter what field you’re in.” She also loves the idea of mentorship. “You need someone you can rely on and who you can ask questions to,” Fagg said. “You need someone who has had success. You need that mechanism for development.” Most of all, the next generation of leaders and exceptional women need to be bold. “Don’t be afraid to take responsibility and make decisions,” Fagg said. “And don’t be afraid to make mistakes.” She’s learned much from those mistakes. “The technical mistakes are easily fixed,” Fagg said. “The human ones are harder. Mistakes are life’s greatest lessons. Certainly there were some times when I dealt with individuals too harshly. Those were the lessons that taught

Karen Fagg

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

me how to listen deeply or probe more. It was more about managing people than anything.” Along the way, she found that opportunities created more opportunities. Fagg said she also recognizes her own mentors standing in the background, supporting her, cheering her on. “They lead me try and they let me succeed,” Fagg said. “People think that I had this planned, but God opened doors that I wouldn’t have thought.”

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Comic brings the other ‘f’ word to event By TOM HOWARD Katie Goodman is a comic, author and musician whose decidedly NSFW YouTube videos have been viewed more than a million times, often by people who take great lengths to hide their computer screens from coworkers. Should you decide to visit her website, www.katiegoodman.com, and click on a video, be prepared for a generous helping of salty language and left-leaning advocacy. In songs and comedy skits, Goodman defends abortion rights, equal treatment for the LGBT community and reminds males and young women that they might actually be feminists. Gloria Steinem is a personal friend, and Goodman has been known to describe feminism as “the other f-word.” Goodman performs solo and as part of an ensemble. Her Broad Comedy troupe performs in New York and Montana, frequently spoofing the tea party, abstinence-only sex education and other conservative causes. In an interview, Goodman, the featured speaker for the 20 Exceptional Women luncheon, said she’s eager to learn more about this year’s honorees. The luncheon takes place Sept. 22 at the Big Horn Resort, 1801 Majestic Lane, beginning at 11:30 a.m. “I feel lucky to be able to spend some time among exceptional women,” she said. “Reading the paper can be depressing a lot of times, but then when you go and look at these amazing people doing these amazing things, it’s all very inspiring.” Goodman’s brand of comedy pulls no punches. But just so you don’t get the wrong impression, she wasn’t the kind of kid who sat in the back of the classroom, cracking jokes and hurling insults at teachers and classmates. She remembers that she was in second grade when she first fell in love with theater, and she has been performing ever since. Goodman mentions a long list of feminist comedians and performers — Lily Tomlin, Bette Midler and Samantha Bee come to mind — as a source of inspiration. But she also credits her husband and cowriter, Soren Kisiel. “It’s nice to know that you have a feminist co-writer who’s also a male,” she said. Goodman and Kisiel fell in love with Montana while visiting family members several years ago. As part of their summer activities, they stage Equinox Theatre Day Camp for kids in Bozeman each year. Goodman’s book, “Improvisation for the Spirit,” draws on her experience as a

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Katie Goodman, center, standing, performs with members of her Broad Comedy troupe.

Photo courtesy Katie Goodman

“Reading the paper can be depressing a lot of times, but then when you go and look at these amazing people doing these amazing things, it’s all very inspiring.” Katie Goodman

comedian and singer

Photo courtesy Katie Goodman

counters hecklers during her performances. “We don’t play a lot of comedy clubs. performer to help readers boost their cre- form those critical voices in your head We play theaters, and we’re singing, so we ativity and build confidence. into something useful,” she writes. don’t get a lot of that,” she said. “I guess “Improv is a great place to work on that Even the best comics are known to you could say the people are already vetinner critic we all have, to learn to trans- bomb. But Goodman says she rarely en- ted.”

Comic and singer Katie Goodman spends her summers in Billings.

Avoid chronic stress problems by finding the right balance By NATHAN STAHLEY The stress that comes with busy schedules can feel overwhelming. Often we feel pulled between responsibilities at work, home and school. It’s important to pay attention to the stress we feel and realize that chronic stress can negatively affect our physical and mental health along with our moods and behaviors. Chronic stress has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, weight gain, sleep problems, and higher levels of depression and anxiety. Taking the time to care for ourselves and regulate our emotions is critical to achieving a balanced and healthy lifestyle. One age-old technique is the practice of STAHLEY “mindfulness.” The concept of being mindful means being aware of the present, recognizing your feelings and what is on your mind. Paying attention to what your body and mind are feeling might sound easy, but it takes practice. While it takes a level of commitment to regularly practice mindfulness, the technique can have positive effects on health. Research from the Shamatha Project at the University of California, Davis, suggests that mindfulness helps people feel less stress and decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Mindful meditation is the act of sitting in a quiet area in a comfortable position and being alone with one’s thoughts, yet aware of your body and surroundings. If your mind begins to wander, you gently acknowledge this and bring yourself back to the present. The acronym RAIN covers the basic principles:

R: Recognize what is happening. Acknowledge what you are experiencing. Whatever is happening to your body, mind or soul; recognize it. Try to name the emotion you are feeling. A: Allow and accept the emotion to simply be there. Whatever emotions, feelings or thoughts you recognize, simply allow them. Often when we are dealt uncomfortable thoughts or experiences, we tend to avoid them. By allowing the true emotion without judgment or avoidance we can better understand and we can prepare wiser responses and make wiser choices. I: Investigate with kindness. Be curious. Pause and ponder. Gently, and with kindness, investigate the experience of the emotion in the present moment. Be conscious of what you are feeling and ask yourself, how is my body responding to this experience? What story seems to be attached to this emotion? What needs my attention? What is this feeling asking of me? N: Non-identification. Become less entangled with the emotion (whether it is pleasant or unpleasant) and with the story surrounding that emotion. Avoid overidentifying with or clinging to any specific emotion. Mindfulness can be one tool in your toolbox for managing stress. Using RAIN can be a simple first step in reducing the extra stress in your life. To learn more about mindfulness and to download a free “app” for guided meditation, visit www. stopbreathethink.org.

Nye

sign, said Nye. “When I started at first, I thought that I was betraying John,” Nye said. “Like so many teens, he was embarrassed by being different or having a mental condition. When he was in rehab and I suggested the possibility, he slammed his fist on the table and said, ‘Mom, I’m not crazy.’ “We know that you don’t have a choice (for mental illness). I now think he’d be glad of my work. He went through enough pain. I hope he’d be happy if his story could reduce or prevent pain.”

From 6

That’s why she’s been an advocate for years, going on decades. However, attitudes across the state are changing. It’s no longer a secret that Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. That suicide is even being discussed in public and at places like the Legislature where it’s becoming public health policy is an encouraging

Nathan Stahley, a grant coordinator working on behalf of Healthy By Design at RiverStone Health, can be reached at 651-6437 or nathan.sta@riverstonehealth.org.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Pastor, speaker, author is a mom on a mission By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Laurie Houde is a mom on a mission. The pastor, speaker, author and wife is foremost, a mother who believes in reaching out to other mothers. Though Houde credits her strong Christian upbr i n gLaurie Houde ing as key to who she is, it was her call to ministry and her chance to serve as a generational pastor that helped her lead a successful group of women and mothers who have been gathering for more than a decade. Moms on a Mission, or MOM, works to connect mothers with other mothers for fellowship, Christian study and to provide opportunities for parents to learn to raise children with Christian values and principles. “We equip parents and train them to raise children with moral standards and purpose,” Houde said. She’s been a minister for children’s

ministry, youth and now generations — working to increase interactions with different age groups in faith. “Growing up in a Christian home, it wasn’t my own conviction,” Houde said of going to Bible college in Cleveland, Tenn. “I wouldn’t have lived my life with convictions and passions if I hadn’t made the choice on my own to give my life to Christ.” She works with the mothers and the women. Houde’s husband, Danny, works with men. They share a life together and a life of ministry, each as ministers at New Life Church in Billings. She is also one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. It’s her work with MOM that she calls “truly a mission.” “We work to put God first, honor our husbands if married, train up our children in the nature and admonition of the Lord,” she said. The group meets for two hours, studying, talking, praying. They gather in the community for recreation or service. “We are nondenominational. We try to parent in a way that says, ‘Follow me,’”

The group has also raised funds for different organizations, including $4,000 for Wise Wonders Children’s Museum. “We’re giving back, not just to a church. We’re giving back to the community,” Houde said. Alex Tyson, who nominated her and is herself one of the 2016 20 Exceptional Women, said that Houde’s ministry is one-on-one and may not be easily summarized on a resume. “Her achievements and accolades are not of position or prestige in the corporate world, rather they are hidden and unseen in the result of the successful families, mothers, children and teenagers,” Tyson said. But Houde sees her ministry as part of working to bring about a better community and nation. BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff “If you want to impact a nation, teach Laurie Houde the next generation,” Houde said. “My four children are watching me, (that) alHoude said. “Sure, there are days when I ways motivates me. They will turn out yell at the kids or have to tell them, ‘Yeah, like me, whether I like me or not, so at the I messed up,’ But the point is that we try end of each day, I want to have set an example that they can follow.” to live it.”

Making magical memories in the Magic City By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Jennifer Mercer is executive director of the historic Billings Depot. But it’s a mistake to believe that she only manages a historic building for events. “What makes a place special is the great memories that people have there,” Mercer said. Sure, the Depot Jennifer Mercer has plenty of history and character, but in order for it to carve out a place in people’s hearts, it has to be a place they remember for the great times. Mercer loves creating that magic in the heart of the Magic City. For her efforts at being one of Billings’ best cheerleaders as well as a champion of restoring the Depot, Mercer has been named one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. Leading the efforts at the Depot comes natural for a ranch girl with a love of history. She credits her grandmother for instilling a love of history, and her Eastern Montana roots for giving her a deep love of place.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

She has helped oversee a period of growth and renaissance at the Depot. The organization has continued to grow as it adds events. Nearly $750,000 in deferred maintenance and upgrades are slated for the building that a former generation knew as a deteriorating eyesore. “I give so much credit to my board,” Mercer said. “They have allowed me to fail and to succeed. You can only do so much on your own.” She gives credit to many community members who have brought their vision of the Depot and a rejuvenated Montana Avenue. For example, Mercer said electrician Don McCabe had a vision of lighting and upgrades and became a passionate advocate in order to see it done. “Other people have bought into this idea that this place is special,” Mercer said. The same thing happened to her. She came to Billings on a scholarship to Montana State University Billings. She hadn’t necessarily planned on becoming a lifelong resident, but then it happened. “I fell in love with this place,” Mercer said. In the five years since she’s started, she can illustrate that success and transformation. “Five years ago, we didn’t have a park-

ing problem down here,” Mercer said. “It’s now a thriving area. I remind our board, ‘It’s an encouraging thing that we have a parking problem.’” It’s not just the Depot that Mercer is passionate about. She helped lead the charge to get Billings voted the best city by Outdoor magazine. She’s currently helping to improve the look of Montana Avenue, and can tick off the different businesses that have made the street hip. “It’s better than it has ever been, and it’s a place where people want to be. We hear that all the time from visitors and people moving back,” Mercer said. “You can create the place you want to be.” As one of Billings chief advocates, Mercer’s own vision for Billings doesn’t stop at the downtown. It includes dreaming big and lighting up the Rims, or transforming the entryways into the city. “We’re just a small part of making this place a bit better and more welcoming,” Mercer said. “I want to see it be a beautiful place — the kind of place where when young people graduate, they want to come here.” Carolyn Tolton, one of several people who nominated Mercer for the Exceptional Women award commented that Mercer’s smile is huge, but maybe not as large as her dedication.

Jennifer Mercer

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

“Jennifer does more for this community than anyone I’ve ever known,” Tolton said. “Her dedication to Billings and its citizens in incomparable. She works endlessly to improve and give back to our Last Best Place.” Mercer’s inspiration isn’t hers alone. She is not the only one passionately advocating for the heart of Billings. “I blame Lisa Harmon,” Mercer said of the Downtown Billings Alliance executive. “She’s infected me. There are people who love each other and support each other. Downtown is a small town in a bigger city.”

A VISTA volunteer who never stopped By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Suzanne McKiernan just never quit being a VISTA volunteer. What began as volunteering in Appalachia really wound up as one of the most successful public building campaigns in Montana. McKiernan joined VISTA after her first

Suzanne McKiernan year of college. She went back to college and got her nursing degree, but as she was raising a family with her husband, Joe, she got involved. First it was the Girl Scouts. Then school boards. Then the YWCA and BikeNet (now TrailNet), and finally as co-chairwoman of the Billings Library Foundation Board’s fundraising campaign to get a new library for the community.

“The passing of the bond issue for the new library is my most prized accomplishment,” McKiernan said. “I walk into that library today and am in awe of the building and the community that understood and supported the bond issue.” For her community service, McKiernan has been named one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. She didn’t realize how big of a project the new library would be or how it would affect her life. It was going to be a huge undertaking, complete with campaign materials and door knocking. It was the first successful campaign with Hilltop Public Solutions, too. “If it hadn’t of been for them, I would still be standing in the mall with my clipboard, saying, ‘Let me tell you about the library,’” McKiernan said. “Which is exactly the wrong way to do it. Instead, they taught us about voting patterns and knowing your town and precincts.” She loved the library project because it

touched everyone in the community. “This was for the children and families who didn’t have two PCs and laptops,” McKiernan said. She still quotes library architect Will Bruder who said that a library is the city’s living room. It’s not just the number of patrons going to the library, nor is it the number of materials being checked out. For McKiernan, it’s the different types of uses. “Folks now go to the library for lunch,” McKiernan said. “They go to research. They go to relax. What we had before was a parts warehouse. Literally.” Billings’ generosity though was no surprise to her. “I can’t express how many needs from birth to elderly services are met through volunteers,” McKiernan said. “You can’t beat Billings.” She’s also seen that same kind of success while serving on the Blue Creek School District and as a founding member of BikeNet.

Suzanne McKiernan

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

She experienced it professionally while as the development director for the YWCA and on staff of the Billings Community Foundation. “To me, volunteering encourages you to be a part of your community and have a voice in issues,” McKiernan said.

One student at a time — for 43 years By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com It started with a gaggle of stuffed animals, paying rapt attention to a chalkboard her father had bought at Bender’s Auctions. Norene Peterson had always wanted to be a teacher. And, she always loved languages, just like her father. For 43 years, she’s worked at Billings Public Schools Adult Education, teaching language — readNorene Peterson arts ing and writing. “When people ask what I teach, I like to say I teach students rather than that I teach reading,” Peterson said. “When I see that ‘aha’ look on a student’s face, I know that together we have learned something.” For her service in teaching so many students, Peterson is one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. “If you walk the hallways of the Lincoln Center’s first floor, where adult education is located, you will find the placards with names of students who have completed their high school equivalency diploma,” said one of Peterson’s nominators, Shannon Davis. “Hundreds of those students were taught by Norene. She has reached so many more who have gone on to college or the workforce. She is their biggest advocate and cheerleader.” Peterson likens herself to a backup singer

— playing a supporting role on the student’s stage, not the lead. “For every person it’s different. Every student is a unique challenge and that’s why I stay. Point A to Point B is not always a straight line with (my students),” Peterson said. Some students come to finish a highschool education; others come to relearn a skill after a stroke or accident. Some come back four or five times before finishing. The satisfaction comes when those students return — after receiving their education with stories of good employment or a college degree. Her start in adult education wasn’t quite as polished. She had been hired as a paraprofessional in a classroom. “When I first walked into the program, I had not done my homework. I thought that I would work with a teacher and they would tell me what to do,” Peterson said. “Then I walked in, and the teacher was sick. I was left to do the teaching.” During the time she’s taught, students’ needs have changed, but never the mission. When she began, many of her students were returning Vietnam veterans. “Our mission is to help make change that will affect families and communities in a positive way,” Peterson said. “There are peaks and valleys for students. The economy has a lot to do with it.” Employers’ needs change, too. It used to be that the fast-food or service industry would accept applicants without a high

school education. Now, even those employers require that. And that’s where she comes in. With fairy dust. She keeps the classroom light, with a wand that sprinkles fairy dust (sugar) just before tests in order to give magic and confidence. “I have been surrounded by a village of wonderful family, friends and colleagues BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff who continue to inspire me to go in through the back door or window when the front Norene Peterson door is locked,” Peterson said. “She has taught me more about compasPeterson doesn’t just inspire her students, she mentors other teachers and pro- sion and education than I have learned in my fessionals in the program. other schools,” Davis said.

Congratulations to All 20 Exceptional Women and a Special Congrats to Norene Peterson Sunday, August 28, 2016

A purpose to the pain By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com

If you met Kira Pertuit, grief doesn’t exactly describe her. She’s outgoing, positive and smiles constantly. But that’s the thing about grief — it’s not always obvious. And that’s part of the reason Pertuit is dedicating her life to helping others. She knows what it is like to struggle with the overwhelming, parKira Pertuit alyzing sense of loss. Thirteen years ago, she and her husband, James, lost their 11-month-old daughter, Aspen, in an accident when the toddler pulled a hot skillet off the counter. For many years, she struggled with the loss and the process of putting her daughter to rest. She describes days and months when she could hardly move, and couldn’t be the mother she wanted to be. “Having to walk through that valley and struggle for so long, I came to a breaking point,” Pertuit said. “I could live consumed by my grief and do nothing or I could put

purpose to my pain and lock arms with others that are grieving losses and help them restore their quality of life.” Originally, she got a job at a wellness center. It was there that she realized she hadn’t taken care of herself. A change and diet and exercise led her to feel a little bit better, a little more energized. “I began to realize that life is pretty good,” Pertuit said. “I thought, ‘Look at what I have to be grateful for.’” She had a supportive family, including the four daughters she’d had since Aspen died. “I had hit a brick wall and I realized that I wasn’t moving forward,” Pertuit said. “I had a choice to remain in my grief. But I felt there was a purpose to my pain. I could move on or I could not. Could not was not an option.” From there, it led Pertuit to consider how to help others who may be experiencing similar feelings. She had known the depths of grief as she struggled with the loss of her child. What she hadn’t quite anticipated was the breadth of grief. “What I didn’t quite realize when I embarked on this journey is how many different life events can cause grief,” Pertuit said. “Grief is not limited to death and divorce.

Loss of a job, loss of health, loss of a pet, loss of trust or even a big move can create feelings of grief.” That’s what led her to create Aspen’s Angels Grief Outreach Foundation, which encourages and educates those who have suffered loss. The idea is not to replace counseling or other resources, but to help them through the steps, walking with them, “enabling them to reclaim their lives.” For her work with Aspen’s Angels, Pertuit is one of the 2016 20 Exceptional Women. Pertuit trained through the grief recovery method. It’s another alternative for those struggling through loss. It focuses on actions a person can take to gain back life. It doesn’t replace counseling, support groups, but rather “adds another tool to community programs,” Pertuit said. The program works on the myths of grief, including the notion that time heals everything, or that a person must grieve alone. “I walk with them and lock arms,” Pertuit said. “Often folks cover grief with other negative activity. I help them become aware of what’s going on and that they don’t have to hide their grief behind closed doors. I am just lucky to be the person that they trust.”

Kira Pertuit

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

She believes her own experience of losing a child helps give her credibility with those who are suffering. “I have walked where they have. I never want to forget that. I feel what they feel,” Pertuit said. “I rely on the big guy upstairs and he’s called me to do this. I wish someone would have been there and locked arms with me like this. I never imagined that grief would be the area on which I would choose to focus, but now I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

From a Hutterite community to giving back to this community By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Twenty-four years ago, Abigail Hinthorne left her home, a Hutterite colony. Though she struck out to create her own life, fulfilling her dream of getting an education, she never really left the deep sense of community or the values she learned growing up. “ W h e n you’re raised Abigail Hinthorne in the colony, you just help each other out,” Hinthorne said. “That’s just what you do. It’s a community.” It was a tenacious drive that led her leave the colony, leaving not just a family, but a way of life. She said though she’s left, her family and siblings remained supportive of her decision. She left with nothing. “The colony takes very good care of you. You have food, housing, clothing,” Hinthorne said. “But when you leave, you have nothing.” She loved her family, deeply admired her mother’s strength and values. “I didn’t leave because I didn’t like the

Sunday, August 28, 2016

community,” Hinthorne said. “It was just that I wanted to do things I could never do there.” Hinthorne wanted to finish and continue her education. When she grew up on the colony, girls only went through eighth grade. She remembers her family asking: What makes you think you’ll make it? “’I’ll show you,’ I said. I wanted to succeed,” Hinthorne said. “I didn’t change my own life to fail.” For her success in education, volunteering and operating a successful small business, Hinthorne is one of this year’s 20 Exceptional Women. She staked everything on her success. She earned her high-school equivalency and then went to Montana State University Billings. She worked her way through college, falling back on the skills she had learned growing up in the Hutterite colony. “I learned to cook in the colony. We made massive amounts of food,” Hinthorne said. “It was something I loved.” She worked her way through college at Stella’s Bakery and Restaurant, the Billings landmark restaurant owned by Stella and “Ziggy” Ziegler, known for their breakfast menu and cinnamon rolls. She would go to work at 2 a.m., to start preparing food and

Abby Hinthorne

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

baked goods and attend her first class at 7:30. She graduated with a degree in communication and theater arts with an emphasis on business. She moved to McCormick Cafe, eventually becoming the manager, loving the atmosphere where there were “the regulars” — the customers who came often. She’s volunteered for several community organizations, including the Boys and Girls

Club and Eagle Mount. When she got married and had her daughter, she wanted to spend time closer to family, so she struck out on her own, creating Abby’s Catering. She hardly started before she began getting calls from customers who had heard about the catering business. “I love baking. I do all my own buns and breads,” Hinthorne said. “Growing up in the colony, I also love the fresh items, especially in the summer.” The business has grown from her house to an operation with several regular employees and others who work when needed. She loves that she employs several mothers who like the occasional work of catering events. The business has expanded from her house to the location of the former Joe’s Market, just up the street from where her daughter went to school at Broadwater Elementary. But more than those changes, Hinthorne also takes joy in recently opening their home to a foster daughter. She loves seeing her daughter and foster daughter go through life together. “God just put it on our hearts,” Hinthorne said. “We knew she was ours and we knew the minute we met her. She asked, ‘Why did you pick me?’ And we said, ‘God gave you to us.’”

Alex Tyson

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

Billings biggest fan By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Billings isn’t where Alex Tyson was born, but it is her hometown. “We’ve chosen this as our hometown and consider it a privilege to invest in it and the people of this community,” said Tyson, executive director of Visit Billings. Those aren’t just words you’d expect to hear from the person in charge of promoting Billings as a destination Alex Tyson and tourism venue. It’s something Tyson can back up with her life experience, having moved often with her family growing up, first as her father worked for the National Park Service and then her own experience as a television journalist. “There is something almost magnetic about this community,” Tyson said. “It’s good jobs and good friends. There’s something about it that draws you here. I don’t know if it’s tangible.” For her work at promoting Billings and her efforts at bringing millions of tourism dollars into the local economy, Tyson is one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. And nearly every big event that comes to Billings or happens has Tyson and her staff working in the background, whether that’s a motorcycle rally, convention or festival. But, Tyson isn’t making the Billings area great for herself. She’s already hooked. She wants to see it capitalize fully on the untapped potential, and be a hometown that the next generation loves. “We have a huge responsibility to get to

MAKING it happen

YEARS under the BIG SKY

the next step,” Tyson said. “How do we get the Millennials? I have a 14-year-old and he loves Billings. How do I instill that in everyone?” In order to unlock that potential, Tyson continues to advocate for more and larger gatherings. She also sees Billings’ natural passion for sports and outdoors dovetailing with tourism. “I want my kids to have even more than what they have now,” Tyson said. “More sports. More opportunities.” Tyson credits Chamber executive John Brewer with helping to inspire her, teaching her about partnerships and thinking about the larger picture. “He’s the one who says, ‘OK, let’s see how it’s being done,’” Tyson said. She said it’s not about slogans or bumper stickers. Instead, she sees the job as the behind-the-scenes, relentless work at promoting the community. She said Billings cannot simply expect to get tourism just because it’s the biggest city in Montana or in Montana itself. “We can’t coast,” Tyson said. “I don’t mind hard work. I’m not afraid of lifting boxes, cleaning toilets or leading a board meeting.” Those who work around her are inspired by her passion and hard work. “She works tirelessly to push the community to be better,” said Kelly McCandless, who works with Tyson. “Alex elevates those around her through confidence, encouragement and optimism. She is an incredible force, especially when she puts her energy behind something she is passionate about.” Sunday, August 28, 2016

An advocate for American Indian students at MSUB By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com Reno Charette spends her time working with American Indians who attend or who want to attend Montana State University Billings. But no classroom experience taught her more than the challenges of being a single mother of three trying to earn her college degree. “You can’t study algebra if you’re worried about feeding your family or don’t have diapers,” said Charette, Reno Charette director of American Indian Outreach. That’s why her job is more than just recruiting American Indian students to MSUB or helping with class schedules. It’s about making sure the student and sometimes the student’s family is taken care of. Charette created an anonymous student needs board, so when a student lacks something, donors come through — also anonymously. “When you get into people’s lives, you get the good, the bad and the ugly,” Charette said. Charette is one of this year’s 20 Exceptional Women. Her job isn’t just with students, it’s also communicating with faculty, letting them know what students require. Because there’s often a lot of pride, students are reluctant to say, for example, they couldn’t get to class because they didn’t

have enough gas money. Her role is an advocate. “It’s tough because I get into people’s lives,” Charette said. “I have to look at the student holistically. Do they have life strategies in place? Do they have transportation? Stability? A safe home? Do they have the social services for support so they can make ends meet so they can pass a class?” Through helping a student navigate some of life’s difficulties, she can watch the good that naturally happens with higher education. “You’re watching a human being blossom from bud to full bloom,” Charette said. She’s also worked to carve out a place on campus where American Indian students feel safe to come and talk about the challenges they face. Or, where they don’t feel different by speaking their native language. It’s a place where the pancake griddle is always on, so to speak. “I have a pancake griddle, mix, syrup and butter in my office,” Charette said. “You can have pancakes all day, and you can eat all that you cook.” No one has to worry about going hungry. No one has to ask for food. Charette was motivated by her own hardships to seek higher education so she could help others. “As a single mother, as I was struggling, I thought, ‘It should not be this difficult,’” Charette said. “I remembered what meant a lot was people who kept telling me to keep going.”

Reno Charette

She’s also helped establish a peer support group at MSUB. “(American Indian students) need a comfort zone, a safe place where you can be without having to explain yourself or fearful you’ll be misunderstood because you have a different world view,” Charette said. “I want an oasis in my office where native languages are spoken and others understand our humor or refer-

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

ences.” Charette also sees herself as a community educator, letting folks know about issues facing American Indian students. “Very rarely is it intellectual ability. It’s almost always about poverty,” Charette said. “I’m proud that my education is working with American Indians for American Indians.”

Developing the next generation of tomorrow’s leaders By GREENSHOOT MEDIA Even if a young woman’s application to an Ivy League business school reads like the first half of a CEO’s biography, there are still enormous challenges ahead. A student at the top of her class, juggling demanding academics with ease and excelling in extracurricular pursuits can fall through the cracks of the corporate ladder.

Missed Connections “Women start careers in business and other professions with the same level of intelligence, education and commitment as men,” wrote McKinsey and Company in a 2008 report. “Yet comparatively few reach

Sunday, August 28, 2016

the top echelons.” Foolish is the company that ignores the potential of talented women, McKinsey warned, referring to a world-wide shortage of qualified leaders. “All men and women with the brains, the desire, and the perseverance to lead should be encouraged to fulfill their potential and leave their mark.”

girls to lead. “A woman’s perception of leadership begins not with collegiate academic success, her first big break or when she’s named to a position of power,” read the KPMG report. “The trajectory to female leadership starts much earlier and is defined by key influences throughout life.” Yet few programs exist to direct girls toward the right education and training. Even Starting Young at the college level, many business leaderWhen KPMG commissioned a Women’s ship programs focused on women target seLeadership Study, it hoped to learn more nior or “experienced” professionals. about how women come to be successful in business and academics and help replicate Mentoring that success in promising young women. Mentoring may be a cornerstone to What research firm Ipsos discovered was that it’s never too early to start preparing women’s decisions to embark on leader-

ship tracks. Sixty-seven percent of women told Ipsos they learned their most important leadership lessons from other women. In fact, the best way up the corporate ladder could be as a protege. KPMG’s report cited confidence and connections as two powerful tools for women with big ambitions. Candy Duncan, chairwoman of KPMG’s Women’s Leadership said in the report, Having a positive mentoring relationship with another woman certainly can fit that bill. As one collegeage woman told researchers, “I would thank my role model for believing in me, for bolstering my self-confidence. I’ve always been sort of shy and unsure of myself, so having someone else’s support has been really essential to me.”

Still teaching By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com She knows what her nickname is around work — “The Nag,” “Maleficent” or “The Evil One.” They call it to her face sometimes — all in good humor. It just goes along with Margaret Needham’s job of being controls adviser at the ExxonMobil Billings Refinery. She has to make sure operating procedures and standards are enforced and followed. She loves her job and the atmosphere of camaraderie. Among the other titles she’s earned is teacher, master gardener, STEM mentor, choir director and musiMargaret Needham cian. To that add, one of the 20 Exceptional Women for 2016. Being around people and being very active came naturally for her, the ninth child in a family of 10. It was her mother who encouraged Needham in arts, drama, speech and education. “Never will I forget (my mother) saying, ‘As long as you practice the piano and practice voice, I will take care of dinner and the dishes,’” Needham said. Originally, she had planned to teach music, but knew after student teaching that the politics of schools weren’t something she enjoyed. She wanted to focus only on the students and the music, but there was more to the job than that. In college, she worked in the information systems and technology department and learned about customer service and technical support. It was a professor who encouraged her to pursue her master’s degree in information technology. She loved the aspect of being surrounded by people, helping them and solving problems. And, she saw similarities between what she wanted to do and what she was eventually trained to do. “I’m not a math person, but music and piano have rules and guides,” Needham said. “That makes sense to me and it’s why some of the original coders were musicians. It’s actually very similar.” After completing her master’s, she was hired by ExxonMobil and spent time in Houston. While enjoying her career, she also continued her lifelong passions of music, gardening and volunteering. When she moved back to Billings, she said she and her husband agreed she’d ease back on the volunteering. “That worked for about a year, but I missed being involved,” Needham said.

Margaret Needham

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

Through Exxon, she has been able to continue to teach in different capacities through the refinery’s outreach for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math enrichment programs in the school. She’s spoken to students about having a career in a STEM-related field. She’s participated in the “Chicks in Science” program. “I’ve always been hesitant because I am not an engineer. My background was in the arts,” Needham said. “But it helps me connect with them. I feel like children should know what we do day-to-day. It’s about what we create and what we accomplish. They have a better idea of what we do and why we do it. I want the kids in school to see that there is an end in sight.” Teaching music still comes naturally to her, as she conducts the “Schola” or small group choir at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. She teaches children from 8 to 16 and a few adults traditional hymns as well as Gregorian chants. When she’s not doing those things, she may be in her garden — another passion given to her by her mother and shared by her five sisters. In fact, she practices genealogy by gardening — many of the plants and flowers she has came from family. For example, there are chrysanthemums from her mother and gloriosas from her uncle. “When I am out in the garden, there’s no music. It’s my time,” Needham said. Recently, she took the master gardener course and is volunteering at ZooMontana’s sensory garden. And while most people take photos of family, rides or cartoon characters at Disneyworld, she has plenty of photos of plants and flowers. “Seriously, who does that?” Needham said. “I go to the zoo for the gardens and not the animals and my kids tell me I have too many pictures of trees.” Gardening, music, volunteering, mothering two teenage boys and work. Enough for several life’s worth of busy. “It’s creating something,” Needham said. “Maybe that’s what ties this all together.” Sunday, August 28, 2016

“While women leaders have their productivity secrets, it’s not secret where they come from: the leadership traits that women leaders naturally possess and — based on my personal and profesional experiences — are the most undervalued.” Glenn Llopis for Forbes Magazine

We’ve come a long way Having a family means juggling, but no longer career death By GREENSHOOT MEDIA We have come a long way from a time when starting a family was a career death sentence for a woman. That doesn’t mean, however, that women in corporate America aren’t still facing unique struggles. Women who took time away from their careers to focus on their families once found themselves falling behind in the race to the top of their industries. But a Pew Research Center survey found that only one in five Americans believed that was the case by early 2015.

An Old Problem Even so, Pew reports, “the public is divided about whether, even in the face of the major advances women have made in the workplace, the imbalance in corporate America will change in the foreseeable future.” About 53 percent said men would continue to control boardrooms, while 44 percent expected women to pull even with men in executive posi-

Sunday, August 28, 2016

tions. (One bright spot: Seventy-three percent of those surveyed said they expected to see a female president in their lifetime.) In fact, respondents to the survey said the top issue keeping women from making gains in leadership positions was not any particular weakness but that old double standard that women just can’t seem to shake. So what’s a girl with her eye on the corner office to do?

Leaning on Strengths

File picture.

There’s evidence that corporate America is starting to buy into the idea of women’s particular strengths in business. The same Pew survey found that many people believed women had an advantage over men in some characteristics that could help them get ahead in business and politics. Honesty, ethics and compro-mise were areas where respondents said women may have the upper hand, as well as providing fair pay and benefits and mentoring young

workers. Men, meanwhile, were seen as being more willing to take risks and better at negotiating profitable deals. “I’ve seen women run the show for years both at home and in the workplace, which has enabled me to recognize behavior patterns and see the value behind their way of doing things,” wrote Glenn Llopis for Forbes Magazine. “While women leaders have their productivity secrets, it’s not secret where they come

Photo courtesy of Lucky Business

from: the leadership traits that women leaders naturally possess and — based on my personal and profesional experiences — are the most undervalued.” Demonstrating the value of these innate leadership skills may be crucial to womens’ success. According to the Harvard Business Review: “Smart leaders have understood for a while now that gender balance delivers better and more sustainable performance.”

Giving back brings joy for commercial loan officer By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com In many ways, serving the Billings community was just an extension of Katie Edwards’ life. She grew up in the small central Montana community of Denton, and it’s the kind of place she said where neighbors just helped each other naturally, never really giving it a second thought. And so she helped, not necessarily giving much thought when she moved to Billings in 2007. But she certainly gave more than a second thought when she and her husband, Chris Klein, adopted their first family for Christmas. Katie Edwards “I was shocked and saddened by what the children asked for from Santa,” Edwards said. “While most children were requesting toys or the latest technologies, this family requested coats, hats, gloves and gift cards for gas in order to get them from school or work. “This was one of the first real eyeopening experiences for me and it broke my heart to think that these kids had to worry about staying warm versus simply being a kid. I realized that there are so many families in need in our community and although our support was minimal, we certainly felt that even the smallest contribution can hopefully make a difference in someone’s life.” Edwards has tried to continue that outreach and difference making by volunteering for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yellowstone County, the United Way of Yellowstone County and as a supporter of Family Service, YWCA, Special Olympics, Angel Tree and Relay for Life. “I absolutely love it. It brings me joy,” Edwards said. For her volunteering and community service, Edwards has been named one of the 20 Exceptional Women in 2016. She also credits her employer — First Interstate Bank — for allowing her and her colleagues to get involved in the community by volunteering. Not just that, they have opportunities to volunteer on company time. “They encourage us to be involved. It’s part of the culture of First Interstate,” Edwards said. “And it helps me

Katie Edwards

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

keep the pulse of what’s going on in the community.” It was at a United Way “Day of Caring” that she began getting more involved. She worked with the Special Olympics basketball team with her husband Chris Klein. Edwards had played basketball for the University of Montana. And, she was amazed at how much passion and practice the athletes put in during practice. “That was some of the most fun six weeks we’ve ever had,” Edwards said. “The work ethic was so amazing.” But it’s not only Special Olympics she’s passionate about; she speaks with the same kind of zeal for Big Brothers Big Sisters. “I believe in mentors and I believe in youth,” Edwards said. It was those mentors and coaches in basketball that helped her. “Even during the tough decisions in life, I still find myself asking, ‘What would make them proud?’” Edwards said. It was University of Montana coach Robin Selvig who taught her and her teammates: “You may not be the best; you may not be the fastest; but you can always be the hardest worker.” “I probably wouldn’t be as involved if it wasn’t for the flexibility offered by First Interstate Bank as well as the encouragement from co-workers to join and volunteer with them,” Edwards said.

It’s more than

reaching her goals. It’s about setting the bar high, obliterating benchmarks and carving her own path. Banking solutions for tomorrow’s trailblazers—it’s you and together. FIRST INTERSTATE BANK CONGRATULATES THIS YEAR’S POOL OF EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN, ESPECIALLY ONE OF OUR OWN —KATIE EDWARDS, COMMERCIAL LOAN OFFICER.

firstinterstate.com Sunday, August 28, 2016

Women stepping up onto biggest leadership stages

Courtesy of Greenshoot Media

File art

By GREENSHOOT MEDIA Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher. Even if you don’t agree with their politics, there’s no denying these women worked their way into positions of great leadership. While women in business may struggle to notch up the same high-profile success, there are many qualities women bring to work that are can create big-time value for their employers. Bob Zenger of leadership consulting firm Zenger Folkman wrote for Business Insider that his firm’s research leaves little question as to how women perform at the upper echelons of corporate America, demonstrating themselves to be incrementally more effective in middle management, senior management and executive management. “To the degree that senior executives and boards

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of directors are putting men into senior posi-tions, fearing that women will not perform well at higher levels, we hope that this information adds to the assurance that they need not worry about that.”

Empathy Matters When Fortune magazine compiled a list of the World’s Greatest Leaders in 2015, it was emphatic about the fact that the 15 women on its roster were experts in a singular type of management. “It’s a model in which leaders must influence a wide range of groups over which they have no direct authority, while those groups typically command much power of their own through their access to information and their ability to com-municate with practically anyone,” wrote Geoff Colvin for Fortune. “Am I really saying that women on aver-age are just better at this kind of leader-

ship? Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” Those 15 women “exemplify a new model of leadership,” said Colvin, and at the root of this skill is a trait that science has attributed more to women than men: empathy. “Even at early ages, the way girls talk is much more cooperative and collaborative than the way boys talk; girls show more concern for fairness than boys do,” wrote Colvin. It’s not hard to see how having an authentic emotional response to other people’s feelings can go a long way in a collaborative environment, giving women an advantage over their male coworkers, he said.

Self Improvement Writing for Business Insider, Zenger said his company’s research has found that women in business show a remarkable ability to improve themselves as leaders. He calls it “practicing self development.”

“This competency measures the extent to which people ask for feedback and make changes based on that feedback,” wrote Zenger. Over time, men tend to ask for less feedback about their performance, while women continue to evaluate their own performance.

Other Competencies In fact, women outscored men in most of the areas evaluated by Zenger Folkman, including taking initiative, building relationships, collaboration and teamwork, displaying integrity and honesty. Researchers also shook up some stereotypes, deeming women more effective in areas traditionally dominated by men: sales, technology, legal, engineering and research and development.

Confidant, trusted advisor By DARRELL EHRLICK dehrlick@billingsgazette.com She didn’t necessarily set out to become the first female partner in a large Billings accounting firm. She didn’t even set out to become an accountant. Joy Culver’s path to becoming a successful certified public accountant in Billings really had its beginnings growing up on a ranch near Grass Range. “Great value was placed on academic achievements,” Culver said. Joy Culver She grew up in a house where she knew she’d be going to college. It never was a question. Culver’s parents had wanted that for each of their daughters, all of whom graduated with a degree. Culver also knew that she wanted to work outside the home, in a professional office setting. There were no accountants that she remembers in Grass Range, but there was bookkeeping. And, bookkeeping just made sense to her. She learned bookkeeping and realized, “You can get a job if you knew what you were doing.” From there she went on to study accounting in college. After graduating, she

moved to San Francisco to work for Levi Strauss and Co. It was when she took an income tax class that something clicked. “It was a very motivating class,” Culver said. “I thought, ‘I could do that for the rest of my life.’” In part, that’s what she’s done. Along the way, she became the first female partner in a large accounting firm in 1993 for what is now Eide Bailly LLP. She and her husband have two daughters, and she’s been named one of 2016’s 20 Exceptional Women. After working in San Francisco and receiving her master’s of business administration from Golden Gate University, she moved back to Billings in 1981. She loves the accounting industry, and loves Montana. In many ways, her upbringing on a ranch isn’t so unlike accounting. “There’s some seasonality to the work, too. That’s what it was like in ranching,” Culver said. “Like harvest season or calving seasons, there are seasons here, too.” And just like ranching, accounting values certain qualities. “It rewards hard work, attention to detail and perseverance,” Culver said. Culver said she had always felt supported by her firm. “There were five partners then, and I

BRONTË WITTPENN, Gazette Staff

Joy Culver

suppose the other partners in the office saw two things in front of them,” Culver said. “The way the culture was changing and that I had the credentials and the experience. Those were the two things — the coincidence of a certain place and a certain time.” She’s also combined her interest in the community with her professional expertise, serving on the Billings Preservation

Society, which helps manage the Moss Mansion, the Yellowstone Art Museum and the Billings Community Foundation. “Joy serves as a confidant, trusted advisor and an inspiration to her clients and co-workers alike, particularly young female accounting professionals,” said Ron Yates, Jr., who helped nominate Culver. “Joy is indeed an exceptional individual — who just happens to be female.”

WE BELIEVE SUCCESS HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS NO BARRIER TO OPPORTUNITY Congratulations to Joy Culver and the Other Honorees Eide Bailly is proud to have Joy Culver as a partner. We congratulate her on being honored as one of Billings Business’ 20 Exceptional Women! She makes a difference every day! Our firm believes there should be no limits to a person’s success. That’s one reason we started our women’s initiative, First Focus, which seeks to nurture a firmwide culture where women are as likely to succeed as men. Since starting this initiative, we’ve considerably raised our number of women across the firm and created a positive, empowering environment for all our professionals.

Experience the Eide Bailly Difference

406.896.2400 | w w w. e i d e b a i l l y. c o m Sunday, August 28, 2016

More businesses being owned by women By GREENSHOOT MEDIA More than 9 million women own businesses in the U.S., employing nearly 8 million people and generating $1.3 trillion a year in sales, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners. The NAWBO also provides the following eye-opening statistics about women-owned businesses: One in five firms with revenue of $1 million or more is woman-owned. 4.2 percent of all womenowned firms have revenues of 1 million or more. 2.9 million firms are majority-owned by women of color in the U.S. All those impressive numbers mean that if you’re a woman interested in starting your own business, you’re in good, experienced, powerful company.

Get support According to the 2013 Women-Owned Business Report, published by American Express OPEN, the number of womenowned businesses jumped 59 percent between 1997 and 2013. This trend means there are plenty of women out there to support women in their journey of starting a business. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Women’s Business Ownership provides training and counseling to help women realize their dream of business ownership through education. The SBA also offers a network of 100 educational centers that help women start and grow their businesses. Find one near you at https://www.sba.gov/tools/ local-assistance?ms=tid1058. In 2014, Goldman-Sachs 10,000 Women pledged $600,000 to launch The Wom-

Sunday, August 28, 2016

en Entrepreneurs Oppor-tunity Facility. Visit the website of the Minority Business Development Agency, an agency of the U.S. De-partment of Commerce, at http://www.mbda.gov/ to learn more about available grants. At http://tinyurl.com/z5l9gfy, you can find links to state agencies that help women start businesses. With a wealth of resources for information, funding, education and support, there’s no need for any woman to go it alone in bringing their product or service to the marketplace.

Pay it Forward The World Trade Organization reports that women own only 1 percent of the world’s wealth and have only a 10 percent share of global income. Why not use your business to help other women get ahead, too? Consider importing and selling fair trade products produced by underprivileged women from around the world. Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit that certifies fair trade products, including apparel and consumer packaged goods. Visit fairtradeusa.org to get started. From investing to mentoring to joining your local women’s business organization, there are many ways women can help other women get ahead. Forbes Magazine published a list of “13 Simple Ways Women In Business Can Make A Difference.” Read the list at http://tinyurl. com/gwwvkrn.

Balancing act: Reclaiming your life At times, it’s best to change course By CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN Miami Herald One Saturday, a friend asked Gila Kurtz to lunch. Kurtz turned her down, explaining that she once again needed to spend the weekend working. “Wow, you’re working all the time,” her friend responded. “I would not want your life.” Kurtz says her friend’s comment triggered self-reflection: “It wasn’t meant to be nasty. It was matter of fact and it was true.” As coowner of a $2 million pet business, Kurtz realized she needed to make a change: “I had lost who I was in the volume of work.” With the economy and job market improving, people increasingly are rethinking their work-life balance. According to a February survey from staffing firm Robert Half of 1,000 office workers, 54 percent have increased their commitment to their personal life over the past year. “During the recession, people hunkered down,” says Randy McDermott, Robert Half’s metro market manager for Palm Beach, Fla. “Now that the economy is good, they want to start working on themselves and their interests outside of work. They are saying ‘It’s my time.’” Pivoting to adopt new work-life priorities takes an acknowledgment that there are options, and it takes the courage to move beyond asking yourself, “Is this all there is?” For some, pivoting may require a slight shift, while others might need a complete change in direction. Taking the first step requires perspective. “You need to think about how you want your life to look in a year and what’s standing in your way,” Michelle Villalobos, a Miami personal branding consultant, told more than 300 businesswomen at the Office Depot Foundation Women’s Symposium last month. Too often people live in the day to day instead of aiming for the balanced life they envision. “Sometimes, that’s hard to see by yourself. You may need to get the right people to help you make that shift,” Villalobos says. Pivoting too fast can take you in a new direction, but not necessarily the right one. “The way to do it successfully is to first have a plan in place,” says Kurtz, founder, co-owner and vice president of sales for Dog is Good, a California company that creates and markets gifts and apparel for dog lovers. Kurtz made a plan to transition from a hands-on role as

vice president of sales to a leadership position as brand ambassador. Over the past year, she hired a sales team, wrote a book called “Fur Covered Wisdom,” and began speaking at events, including the women’s symposium, to promote her brand. Kurtz also got a puppy that she takes to the beach, and body-surfs with, on weekends. “I have put play back into my life,” she says. Sometimes, a slight pivot is all that’s needed. On the Citigroup blog, Christine Lam, country business manager for Citi in Hong Kong, describes how she reached her pivot point when her son washed his hands without a step stool and she realized she had missed most of his growing up because of her constant business travel. But instead of a drastic career change, a conversation with her manager at Citi led to a new position with Citi’s Global Consumer Bank that halved her travel. McDermott at Robert Half finds people often underestimate the support from managers for the right work-life balance. “The first step should be to talk to your direct supervisor about changing your circumstances in your current role,” he says. “Some managers are not aware how unhappy their employees are.” In fact, as candidates receive job offers that tout better work-life balance, McDermott says, the number of counter offers from their current employers has risen dramatically in the past year. Still, a growing number of frustrated workers find an extreme pivot is their best path to a more fulfilling and balanced life. They change jobs and even careers, give up responsibility, or find new interests outside the office. Jennifer Chiampou knew she needed to make an extreme pivot but didn’t know where to start. Her employer, Office Depot, had announced a merger with Staples. Uncertain about her future, she spent her days isolating herself from others at home and work. “I was waiting to see what happened to me, feeling low, instead of trying to figure what I wanted my future to be,” she says. One day, she realized she needed to be a better role model for her daughters and made “an extreme internal pivot.” She enrolled in personal development courses and began to network, speak at trade shows, surround herself with positive people, meditate, and consider what she wanted to do next. She stills holds her position as director of private brand growth strategy at Office Depot, but she has discovered she enjoys public speaking at training, branding and networking events for her company and the community. “I’m back in control of my life,” Chiampou says. “It took a massive perspective shift, but I’m re-energized and having fun.”

Congratulations TTN Members Suzanne McKiernan & Joan Hendricks

THE TRANSITION NETWORK (TTN) is an inclusive community of professional women, 50 and forward, whose changing life situations lead us to seek new connections, resources, and opportunities. Through programs, events and small group interactions, TTN women inspire and support each other as we continue a life of learning, engagement, and leadership. Together, we move forward and embrace the changes to come.

Billings Chapter For more information contact: Evelyn Noennig @ 657-1226 or email: billingschapter@thetransitionnetwork.org

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