Announcements and Opportunities

New Sponsors for Women of Excellence Breakfast.
On December 4th, NAFE will honor this year’s Women of Excellence at a Gala Awards Breakfast. The event will be hosted by The New York Times Company at their Manhattan location, with sponsorship provided by IBM and Wellpoint. Now Office Depot and State Farm Insurance have joined the event with additional sponsorship. Many thanks to all these great companies for their support! Read more about this exciting event – and the NAFE Women of Excellence program – on nafe.com.

A special message from Betty Spence, President of NAFE: “Please join us and be inspired by the remarkable work of the NAFE Women of Excellence, and by that of The New York Times writers Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, who will share stories of the women around the world they have worked with that have risen from despair to triumph. In their honor, we are throwing a NAFE Breakfast that you should not miss on December 4, 8 a.m. - 10:30 at The Times Center, 242 W. 41st St., New York, NY. Click here to register."

Business Plan Contests: How to Win. If you’re just starting a new business – or looking to revamp an existing enterprise – a business plan is a must. As long as you’re doing the work of constructing a plan, why not enter it in a competition and try for some cash and prizes as well? Competitions are offered all year long by business schools, entrepreneur publications and others. Now The New York Times offers solid advice for succeeding in these contests. Read “How to Win a Business Plan Competition” here.

NafeCafe. Have you added your profile yet? Read more about NafeCafe here and join today! Now - social networking with a purpose. We’re proud to announce the launch of a secure online community for our members. Come enter your profile and connect through NafeCafé.

NAFE Discount on Whirlpool Products. Through a special arrangement with Whirlpool, NAFE members can reap big savings on Whirlpool appliances, accessories and other items. You and your family can purchase up to 12 products a year under the VIPLINK program. Sign up for the discount program – just click on the Whirlpool banner at the top of nafe.com.

Want to promote your business? For NAFE members – for a limited time only – an ad in one issue of NAFE News & Notes will cost you just $75.00. (Regular rate is $150.00.) Ad dimensions are 120 x 120 pixels. Contact newsletter editor Paula Damiano to place your ad. Larger display ads and website banners are also available – ask for prices.

Meet Roxanne Natale, New NAFE Staff Member!
A very sweet welcome (think pastries – read on) to Roxanne Natale, our brand-new NAFE Member Services Coordinator. In this position, Roxanne will manage member inquiries, local NAFE networks, calendar postings, and NafeCafe, among other duties. Roxanne replaces Jill Raufman. (NB: Jill is very happy in her new job at Albert Einstein Medical Center and sends her regards to all!)

Besides Roxanne’s new role with NAFE, Roxanne and her husband operate Salerno Bakery, an upscale cafe and sweets shop in the Whitestone neighborhood of Queens, NY. They specialize in Italian and French pastries and sell coffees, cappuccino and all types of cookies and breads. In the summer, there’s live music. “Many times I’ll go there in the evening to work on a cake we’re designing or some theme cupcakes for the holiday,” says Roxanne, who also balances care of the couple’s two children (a 2-year-old son and a 9-month-old daughter). Not surprisingly, the family-run café offers Little Chef parties for kids.

Roxanne is an alumnus of SUNY Albany and the prestigious Circle in the Square conservatory for dramatic arts. She says theatre has always been one of her passions. Roxanne’s credits include many parts in off-off Broadway plays, commercials, TV and movie productions.

Asked about her new position in our Manhattan office, Roxanne says, “I love being on the NAFE team… I’m glad to be part of a company that celebrates the achievements of women.”

For a complete list of events, see our online Calendar!

Macon, GA
November 20, 2009
Learn twelve keys to making more sales at Women on the Go Network’s next gathering. The speaker will be Antonio Smith, author of The Sellionaire.

San Juan Capistrano, CA
November 24, 2009
Join the South Orange County For You NAFE network at their monthly dinner meeting, and hear author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur Myra Wallace. Her topic: "Minding Your Business: The Entrepreneur in You.” Click here to learn more.

New York, NY
December 4, 2009
Join us to honor NAFE’s Women of Excellence at an awards breakfast, hosted by the Women’s Network of The New York Times Company and sponsored by IBM and WellPoint. Click here for further information and a link to the registration page. See you there!

Scottsdale, AZ
December 9, 2009
Make quality business connections and mingle with top professionals at the Shakers and Stirrers Business Networking Mixer. Click here to learn more details about this evening event.


• Go to nafe.com to view our ever-expanding Calendar of Events for opportunities around the country. The new Search function makes the Calendar even more useful and accessible.
• Use the Event Submission Form online to let us know about events in your area. Events submitted for the website will also be considered for the NAFE News & Notes– twice the exposure for one listing!

WORDS TO WORK BY

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

-Marianne Williamson (author, A Return to Love)