Women of Excellence - Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of ...

6 .13. 2012
March / April 2012 Visions
33
Women of Excellence

Women of Excellence Award Recipients
Get Advice on Work and Life From
These Accomplished Women
Seven women who have achieved success in their professional careers and
dedicated themselves to community service will join the prestigious ranks of
the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce’s “Women of Excellence.”
The awards annually recognize women for progression in their careers, involvement
in their communities and accomplishments in their personal and professional
lives. The honorees will be celebrated at the Women’s Business Council’s
21st annual luncheon on June 13.
“The Women’s Business Council is extremely proud to have the opportunity to
recognize and honor these exceptional women from our business community,”
said Sarah Johnson, WBC chair. “This year’s winners are all highly individualistic
and multi-faceted in their accomplishments. They truly personify excellence
in their careers, their community and the inspiration they bring to everyone
around them.”
Susan Scrimshaw
Meet this year’s honorees and get their advice on work and life!
Joanne Kugler
Susan Commanda
Lauren Payne
Milinda Reed
Carrie Hillenbrandt
Sara Brenner
Photos by Dan Region/
Capital Region Women@Work
Women of Excellence photos taken on location at the Desomnd Hotel & Conference Center

Distinguished Career
Dr. Susan Scrimshaw
President, The Sage Colleges
Susan C. Scrimshaw, Ph.D., was formally
inducted into office as the ninth president
of The Sage Colleges in October 2009
after having served as interim president
since July 2008. Dr. Scrimshaw has held
numerous leadership positions in higher
education institutions across the United
States; most recently, she served as
president of Simmons College in Boston.
Prior to her post at Simmons, she served
12 years as the dean of the School of
Public Health and professor of community
health sciences and anthropology at the
University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior
to those roles, she was associate dean
of public health and professor of public
health and anthropology at the University
of California at Los Angeles.
A public health expert and anthropologist,
Dr. Scrimshaw has worked tirelessly
to address global health care issues,
specifically related to women’s health,
and is respected for her ability to bring
innovative ideas to fruition on college
campuses and throughout the world.
Dr. Scrimshaw is a graduate of Barnard
College in New York City. She went on
to obtain M.A. and Ph.D. in anthropology
from Columbia University, where she
was mentored by the famous cultural
anthropologist Margaret Mead. The
recipient of many awards, Dr. Scrimshaw
received the Margaret Mead Award from
the American Anthropological Association
and the Society for Applied Anthropology.
For her work on the health of Latino
populations, she received a gold medal
from former President Vicente Fox of
Mexico.
Work Advice:
Follow your passion. You will work harder and be happier doing
what you love. You will find a way to make it work as a career.
I have never been bored, I have made a difference, I have always
been employed in a career I love; I followed my passion.
Life Advice:
Choose work that you care about. Always take the high road,
give others the benefit of the doubt and be professional and
gracious. Value everyone and help people find their niche. Be
fair: ensure a level playing field. Listen. Make sure people
around you know that you value their advice and their candor,
even if you disagree with them. You will make better decisions if
you take into account views which you may not agree with, at
least, initially. Be logical, but learn to listen to your instincts and
to trust them. They are based on experience. Finally, take time to
have a life. You are more likely to regret the things you did not do
rather than the things you did.

The core values that were the
cornerstone of educating Maria’s
women 50 years ago are still
defining Maria graduates today…
More than 50 years ago, Maria graduated only women. Today, as a
coeducational school, we remain faithful to our original goal: to nurture
women and men who care, who strive for excellence, who embrace Maria’s
unique educational experience and make a difference in the world. And
while we celebrate tradition, we look toward the future with three new
bachelor’s degree programs planned for 2013. Through our programs in
health care, education, liberal arts, and business and law, our graduates
are not only prepared for careers. They're prepared for life.
Call 518.438.3111, x 217 or email admissions@mariacollege.edu for more information • 700 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208
Maria College was founded and is sponsored by The Sisters of Mercy.

Excellence in Management (100+ staff members)
Joanne Kugler
Chief Information Officer
GE Energy Power and Water
Business
Joanne Kugler is the chief information
officer and senior executive, for GE
Energy’s Power and Water Business.
Power and Water is a $25 Billion dollar
business that manufactures and services
gas and steam turbines, wind and solar
power, aero derivative engines, water and
process technology solutions, nuclear and
small gas engines around the world. Kugler
began her career in 1983 with GE on the
Financial Management Training Program.
After moving into Information Technology
in 1993, she has held various positions,
most recently as the Chief Information
Officer for GE’s Global Research Center
where she worked to develop the Jack
Welch Technology Center in Bangalore
India. Today she leads a team of more than
500 GE IT professionals supporting the
Thermal, PGS, Renewables, Aero, Nuclear,
Water and Gas Engines product lines of
Power and Water.
Work Advice:
Always remember that people are your most important asset. Challenge them every day, demand
they grow in areas outside their comfort zone, expose them to senior leaders and give them every
opportunity to succeed and be recognized.
Life Advice:
Love what you do, have fun, and never stop growing. (Grow your expertise, your leadership skills,
your network, your ability to execute, and your confidence.)

Hiscock & Barclay
congratulates the
recipients of this year’s
Women of
Excellence
Awards
LLP
80 State Street / Albany NY 12207 / (518) 429-4200 www.hblaw.com
Hudson River Community Credit Union Congratulates
Sue Commanda
and all of the 2012 Women of Excellence Award recipients.
Your deication xele is n pation s all .
Making Life Better
Cohoes • Corinth • Glens Falls • Hudson Falls • Troy
(518) 654-9028 • hrccu.org

Excellence in Management (1-99 staff members)
Susan Commanda
Chief Executive Officer
Hudson River Community
Credit Union
Sue Commanda is the chief executive
officer of Hudson River Community
Credit Union. HRCCU is a New York
State-chartered, member-owned financial
cooperative with assets in excess of $161
million that serves members who live,
work or worship in Warren, Washington,
Saratoga and Rensselaer counties as well
as the towns of Cohoes, Green Island and
Watervliet. Commanda began her career
in 1984 as an auditor with KeyCorp. After
working for a large regional financial institution
as well as at the New York State
Credit Union League, Commanda took
the position of chief financial officer at
HRCCU. As CEO, she directs the overall
operations and works to ensure the financial
stability of the organization with the
best interests of the Credit Union’s more
than twenty-thousand members in mind.
Work Advice:
My advice to future Women of Excellence would be two-fold; strive to make your vocation your vacation,
by having fun and loving what you do every day! Also, always see the good in others and apply
their best attributes where you believe that they can do the most good in your organization.
Life Advice:
For most of us, from our teens through our fifties and sixties, we spend the majority of our waking
hours at work. So, why not make the best of it and love what you do! Loving what you do can keep
you motivated to succeed and prosper, even in the darkest of days.

Women thirst for more.
At Teal, Becker & Chiaramonte, CPAs, P.C., we give our
clients more: more opportunities to meet their financial goals,
more services to meet their business and individual needs,
and more time to do what they do best, run their company.
Accounting • Auditing • Tax • Advisory Services
www.tbccpa.com | 518-456-6663 | 7 Washington Square, Albany NY 12205
congratulations to our WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE...
Lauren Payne!
D e SIGn FOr an e V er-CHanGIn G LanDSCa P e
www.spiraldesign.com

Excellence in Business
Lauren Payne
Principal/Co-Founder
Spiral Design Studio
As principal and co-founder of Spiral
Design Studio, Lauren Payne balances her
passion for the creative with the challenges
of running a small business. While
overseeing and collaborating with Spiral’s
team of award winning designers, Payne
manages the business side of her firm,
ensuring that the company’s professional
standing within the business community
remains superior. After receiving her BFA
in Graphic Design from SUNY New Paltz,
Lauren further developed her skills in
New York City for major clients such as
the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the
Museum of Modern Art. Upon moving
to Albany, Lauren founded Spiral Design
Studio in 1989 with her husband Robert
Clancy, and became immediately involved
in a variety of community services and
organizations. Some of the organizations
Payne serves as a member of are the
Center for Economic Growth, Business
Council of New York State, YWCA of the
Greater Capital Region, Junior League of
Troy and American Heart Association
Work Advice:
Keep learning and take full advantage of each new experience. In business, you’re never too old to
learn something new. Expand your horizons through reading materials, networking events and seminars
outside of your current professional circles. This will expose you to new industries, businesses, people and
perspectives… and will challenge your business thinking while stretching your imagination.
Life Advice:
While I don’t have a motto, I rely — professionally and personally — on a quote by Maya Angelou,
“When people show you who they are, believe them!” Shared with me by my mother over 20 years
ago, this simple quote speaks volumes and often offers much-needed clarity during both business and
personal challenges.

Congratulations to
the amazing women
who are recipients of
the 2012 Women of
Excellence Awards!
Cutting Edge Environmental Consulting
Full Service • Woman Owned
Joella Viscusi has 23 years experience in the environmental
industry. Through her network of leading environmental
professionals, Ambient Environmental can offer their clients one
point of contact for all their environmental, health & safety needs.
Full Range of Services
Asbestos Consulting • Lead Consulting
Industrial Hygiene Services • Environmental Consulting
Leading the way providing comprehensive turn-key solutions to
our clients’ environmental health and safety needs.
Albany Office: 12 Colvin Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
www.ambient-env.com | P: 518.482.0704 | F: 518.482.0750
Unity House congratulates
Milinda Reed, Esq.
a true Woman of Excellence.
Our thanks to Milinda and her Unity House
team in the Domestic Violence Services Program.
unityhouseny.org

Excellence in the Professions
Milinda Reed, Esq.
Director, Domestic Violence Services
Unity House
Milinda Reed began her career at Unity
House in 2000 as a lawyer providing legal
representation to victims of domestic
violence. Today, she is the Director of
Domestic Violence Services providing
victims and their children a range of
comprehensive services. Reed developed
Unity House’s Law Project, which is
now in its 12th year and offers free
representation to victims of domestic
violence in civil matters. Through her
work building a coordinated community
resource project, she has brought
together police, employers and social
workers to help keep women and children
safe. In the process, she has helped alter
community attitudes about domestic
violence. Reed serves on the Court
Appointed Special Advocates Advisory
Committee and the Friends of Rensselaer
County Drug Court Board of Directors.
She is the author of Finding Your Way in
New York Courts: A Guide for Victims of
Domestic Violence.
Work Advice:
In pursuing a career at a Domestic Violence program where there are many challenges to be overcome,
I always try and remember Margaret Mead’s advice, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” Whenever I feel like
my efforts to change the world are hopeless, having a strong, caring team to work with, like I do at Unity
House, makes all the difference in helping me re-focus and achieve successful outcomes.
Life Advice:
My motto in life is simply: be present. I think people get so busy that they forget to be present in
the daily activities of living and working, which, in my mind, are some of the most transforming
experiences. If you’re always thinking about how to solve the day’s problem in the back of your
mind, or reading e-mail on your phone when you think nobody is looking, then you miss out on
what’s happening right in front of you. Whether in your work or personal life, take time to be
present and experience all the small achievements, sorrows, challenges, first steps, last steps and
unique nuances that make life so much richer.

BST
Financial and Management Consultants
Discover the Difference
Left to right: John Abbuhl, CEO, and Dawn Abbuhl,
President, Repeat Business Systems, Inc. with
BST Partners Kristen Berdar and Ron Guzior
“We have relied on BST for more than 10 years
for valuable financial data and excellent business
advice. They have helped us double in size by
facilitating two acquisitions and they also manage
our growing benefits program. Kristen and her
team have guided us in many other facets of
our business as well, and we have grown from
$2 million to $10 million. We have no doubt that
their partnership has been part of our success.”
~ Dawn Abbuhl, BST client and President of
Repeat Business Systems, Inc.
We are real people offering real solutions. To get to know more about us and what we do,
join our Group on Linkedin: BST Financial and Management Consultants.
New York • Albany • Manhasset (800) 724-6700 • www.bstco.com

Excellence in Sales or Marketing
Carrie Hillenbrandt, CMP
Corporate Director of Sales and Marketing
BBL Hospitality
A graduate of Siena College with a Marketing degree,
Hillenbrandt began her career as a Graduate in
Development Manager for Interstate Hotels, Inc.
She had the opportunity to work in all departments
of the hotel and then specialized in Revenue
Management and Sales for various brands such
as Marriott, Omni, and Crowne Plaza. With over
18 years of experience in the hospitality industry,
Hillenbrandt currently leads the strategic sales
efforts for BBL Hospitality’s 11 managed hotels and
8 restaurants. She plays an integrated role in working
with the hotel and sales personnel to develop new
opportunities and grow existing business. With
membership in industry specific associations such
as Empire State Society of Association Executives,
and Meeting Professionals International, Hillenbrandt
achieved her designation as a Certified Meeting
Professional. She currently volunteers with Heart
Association, American Cancer, Rensselaer Chamber
of Commerce, Albany Convention and Visitors
Bureau, and the Hudson Mohawk Humane Society.
Work Advice:
Sales takes passion, enthusiasm and a healthy dose of competitiveness. Build your team with individuals
that have these qualities and give them as much support and encouragement as you can. Celebrate their
successes.
Life Advice:
Work hard, play hard. It’s important to have things you love to do outside of work that just make
you feel good physically and mentally.

Susan C. Scrimshaw, Ph.D.
President, The Sage Colleges
2012 Women of Excellence
Distinguished Career Award
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Emerging Professional
Sara Brenner, MD, MPH
Assistant Vice President of NanoHealth Initiatives
Assistant Professor of Nanobioscience
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
Dr. Brenner is a preventive medicine and public
health physician at the College of Nanoscale Science
& Engineering serving as the Assistant Vice President
for NanoHealth Initiatives and an Assistant Professor
of Nanobioscience. Her research and initiatives
aim to develop novel nanotechnology applications in
the life sciences, including medicine and public health.
Dr. Brenner is leading health and safety research
initiatives related to nanoparticle and nanomaterial
exposures in the workplace, consumer marketplace,
and environment. She is chair of the steering committee
for the NanoHealth and Safety Center at CNSE,
a public-private partnership that is addressing gaps in
the understanding of the safety and risk associated
with the unique characteristics of nanoscale materials.
She is both personally and professionally dedicated
to prevention, and practices what she preaches by
participating in fitness events including road, trail, and
snowshoe races ranging from 1 km sprints to 50 mile
ultramarathons.
Work Advice:
The pace of innovation is accelerating, and every generation as it emerges will have the opportunity to
imagine and then create a world that does not yet exist. At the confluence of vision, passion, and fortitude
it is possible to ignite revolutionary advancement. And there’s a fine line between brilliance and lunacy…
walk the line.
Life Advice:
Follow your passion. Embrace risk. Create opportunity. Engage tenacity.

21st Annual Women of
Excellence Luncheon
The 2012 Women of Excellence will be
honored for their progression in their
careers, involvement in the community
and accomplishments in their personal
and professional lives.
power up
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Wednesday, June 13
11:15am – 1:30pm
Albany Marriott, 189 Wolf Road, Albany
Cost: $59.00
Register by visiting acchamber.org or call
518.431.1400.
The event’s major sponsors:
Earning my MBA was a valuable signal to
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2009 graduate
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St. Peter’s Hospital
in Albany
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The media sponsor:
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EarnEd ExcEllEncE
ThE BEsT BusinEss schools in ThE World
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Learn about the 2012 Women of Excellence winners in our guide on page 25!
CAPITAL REGION
A Times Union Publication
capregionwomenatwork.com
MAY/JUNE 2012
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Congratulations to all
“Women of Excellence” in the
Capital Region. It has been our
privilege to know and work with you
over the past 23 years.
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Women of Excellence
2012 Award Winners
To read more about these Women
of Excellence, check out the article
in the Capital Region Women@ Work
magazine at:
Capregionwomenatwork.com.
Save the Date!
“Women of Excellence
Unplugged”
Wednesday, September 19
The Century House, 11:30am-1pm
This panel discussion will allow for our
WBC membership to have a more upclose
and personal conversation with this
inspiring, accomplished group of women.

Save the Date!
Specializing in Corporate
Breakfasts & Luncheons
Training Seminars, Corporate
Outings, Holiday Celebrations,
Staff Meetings, Employee
Appreciation, Board Meetings
Join us for an inspirational evening at the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s
Light the Night Walk
Become a Champion for Cures and help find a
cure for blood cancers.
Where: Siena College, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211
When: Saturday, September 29, 2012
Registration is at 5:30pm
Contact: Tena Bunnell, Campaign Manager
tena.bunnell@lls.org | 518.438.3583
To register please visit our website www.lightthenight.org/uny
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Upstate-New-YorkVermont-Chapter/321031944583
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Schedule your corporate catering
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