*Vol 2007 - Issue 1* *January, 2007 * /*Post Office Box 23874 Chattanooga, TN 37422 */ *JANUARY MEETING * *Mike Languth - CEO of the Chattanooga Airport* Mike Landguth, CEO of the Chattanooga Airport will speak on Managing Mid-Size Markets. He calls his topic "Airports, Airlines, and the Business of Flying Now and in the Future." This will be a great session. Our airport is a great asset, so come hear about this vital part of our city. To sign up for the event, either email Nesha at Nesha_steele@bsbst.com or try out our new Event Registration section on our Website. Click here to register for lunch or go to www.chanawbo.org and click on Event Registration. Luncheon: *Thursday, January 18* Sign in: 11:15 AM Lunch: 11:30 AM Location: Mountain City Club 729 Chestnut St Cost $17.00 Register by *Monday January 15* Email Nesha_holloway@bsbst.com or register online at www.chanawbo.org All reservations must be paid *WELCOME - NEW MEMBERS* *Tina Player* TP Events PO Box 81145 Chattanooga, TN 37414-8345 (423) 413-5075 *Gayle Cobb* Truckload Carriers of Chattanooga, LLC PO Box 23889 Chattanooga, TN 37422-3889 (423) 894-4441 *OUR MISSION STATEMENT* Empower women business owners through education, opportunity and support, to achieve success economically, socially, and politically *NAWBO CHATTANOOGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2006-2007 * President - Celeste Friend Immediate Past President - Marj Flemming Vice President - Julie Bestry Secretary - Katrina Chesney Meeting Management - Mary Robertson Treasurer - Deborah Wooten Membership Chair - Julie Bestry Newsletter - Pat Egen Publicity - Deborah Levine *President's Column By Celeste Friend* Hello NAWBO Friends! As we gear up for a fabulous 2007, let me first state what an honor and a privilege it is to be associated with such a smart, resourceful, courageous group of women! One of the things that makes this group so unique is the ability to take on tremendous risks and stresses and still be reasonably normal women with families, friends, and lives. As I look forward to my first full year as NAWBO President, I would like to share the Board?s goals with everyone and ask for your help in fulfilling them. One of our big goals is to increase our membership. This could improve our networking opportunities and it could also help each of us grow our businesses. As a subset of an increased membership goal, is the desire for additional diversity among the members. Besides the obvious diversity that we would welcome (race/nationality) is career diversity, so remember to mention us the next time you talk to your accountant, lawyer, and doctor. Also, consider your vendors as potentially good NAWBO material. Your favorite restaurant, dress shop, or hair and makeup shop owner could turn out to be a huge win-win for everyone. Don?t forget that on a national level that NAWBO has big political clout. We are working hard to make NAWBO a value-added group. There will be great programs for membership meetings, fun after-hours events, and some educational workshops. Let?s make 2007 a great year! Celeste ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I?m a transplant *By Deborah Wooten * I was born August 5, 19 (well that part doesn?t really matter) in a small town called Braintree. Now what makes that significant is it?s a small town in England. To give you prospective, Braintree is about 2 hours slightly north east of London. Both my parents are Brits and I have a younger brother and sister. Around my 5th birthday my mom and dad divorced and my mom married an American stationed in England in the Air Force, he brought my mom and me to the U.S., the other 2 kids stayed with my dad. Hence I became a transplant. I started working at BlueCross just after graduating high school, had my son a year later, let me back up just a bit?.I got pregnant, married had my son. In 1982 I became an American citizen and the next year when home to visit my family in England who I had not seen since I left at 5 years old. About 4 years later I got divorced and started taking night classes, which took me 10 years to get an associate degree. Years later, I enrolled in the Covenant College Quest Program and after 14 grueling months I received my BS degree in Organizational Management. I?ve been at BCBST for 28 years with 15 or so of those years in the Purchasing department ? And no that's not purchasing insurance because I know almost nothing about insurance. We procure and process items that the company needs for the employees to work, i.e. office supplies, furniture, envelopes, machines, etc. It?s never boring but it can get very stressful. My son joined the Marines after high school and he is now a Staff Sergeant and thank goodness has not had to go oversees to any war zones; although he does travel a bit within the states. He is getting married next May to another Marine who just recently got word that she and her unit are scheduled to go to Iraq next fall. So here I am some 40 years later, I?m a legal transplant, a citizen, single, childless, so to speak, been at BCBST 28 years, am a Supervisor in Purchasing & Travel Services, just bought a newer house, car is paid for, bike is almost paid for. Life couldn?t be better! */Did you know?/* The muscle that lets your eye blink is the fastest muscle in your body. It allows you to blink 5 times a second. On average, you blink 15 000 times a day. Women blink twice as much as men. *PAGE TWO* Here are some photos from our Christmas luncheon in December. In this first photo, you'll see the coveted Christmas vase that passed through several hands at the Chinese Auction. Deborah was the final winner (I think). Since the photo below shows Deborah gazing longingly at the Vase, I still assume she was the lucky final recipient. As you can see, the room was lovely, and everyone had a grand time. Here, Celeste shares some fun thoughts. *A Frog's Guide to Life* Kermit the Frog shares some secrets of his success 1. It starts with a dream. Dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. Life is how we get there. Always allow time for traffic. 2. Never get too settled. When you spend too much time resting on your laurels, all you get is a sore backside. 3. Let loose! You can't amaze the world unless you first surprise yourself. And remember, time's fun when you're having flies. Chattanooga NAWBO Website National NAWBO Website Send us your comments and articles: info@chanawbo.org or click here: Editor Email disclaimer: http://www.bcbst.com/email_disclaimer.shtm