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������ presents its third annual Spirit of Women in Business Conference on Wednesday, March 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kent Student Center. The theme of this year’s conference is “The Enlightened Woman.” Students, professionals and seasoned business veterans are encouraged to attend.

“The conference is important for women of all walks of life, not just business women,” said Veronica Cook-Euell, Kent State’s supplier diversity program manager, keynote chair of the 2013 Spirit of Women in Business Conference planning committee and last year’s conference co-chair. “The conference provides a common ground and shows us how important it is for women to support ourselves and one another.”

Two speakers will deliver keynote addresses at the event. Bernett L. Williams, vice president of external relations at Akron Children’s Hospital, will bring the powerful message “I Choose” at the breakfast keynote address at 9 a.m. in the Kent Student Center Ballroom.  Colette Carlson, human behavior expert and author, delivers the afternoon keynote address at 1 p.m., bringing humor and actionable insights to the topic of “Speaking Your Truth.”

The 2013 Spirit of Women in Business Conference includes three break-out sessions.

“The sessions are aimed at providing conference attendees with ideas for enhancing their personal and professional skills,” said Laurie Walker, program director for Kent State’s Executive MBA Programs and this year’s conference co-chair with Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D., a Kent State professor in the Department of Psychology.

“Many business women are also mothers,” Neal-Barnett said. “This year, we have several presentations addressing this dual role.”

Breakfast, lunch and a networking reception are included in the conference. Plus, vendors will be exhibiting many different products and services with giveaways at the end of the day. The featured topics of the break-out sessions include:

•    Advocate Women: Finding Your Role
•    Building Legacy Leadership
•    Next Generation Leadership: Where Text, Talk and Tweet Converge
•    The Savvy Business Woman’s Guide to the Web
•    Women as Mothers and Leaders: Giving Yourself Permission to Do Both
•    Take It Back: The Personal Power You Give Away Each Day
•    Increase Your Success as a Leader with Powerful Presence
•    Women Mentoring Women: Something New in Leadership Learning
•    Discovering Your Best Self: Intentionally Creating Work/Life Imbalance
•    Reclaim Your Time and Reconnect with Yourself
•    Women and Online Marketing: 25 Creative Tips for Using the Internet to Grow Your Business
•    The Enlightened Woman’s Guide to Language of a Leader

Regular registration for the conference is $50 and ends Feb. 28. Late or on-site registration (March 1-6) is $55. Students can register for $15. Kent State faculty and staff members can register for $45 for regular registration through Feb. 28 or register for $55 for late or on-site registration.

Last year’s event sold out early, so those who are interested in attending this year’s conference are urged to register as soon as possible at www.kent.edu/business/wib.

For more information about the Spirit of Women in Business Conference, including pricing, registration and the complete schedule of programs, visit www.kent.edu/business/wib or contact Barbara Boltz at bboltz@kent.edu.
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Media Contacts:
Laurie Walker, lwalke2@kent.edu, 330-672-1281
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595