Entrepreneur 2003 Winners

Jonna Contacos-Sawyer

Small Business

Company name and address:
HR Consultants Inc.
160 JARI Drive, Suite 180
Johnstown, Pa. 15904
Phone number: (814) 266-3818
Email: jonna@hrconsults.com
Title: President

Education: Bachelor of Arts in business economics from University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown; Masters in personnel administration/industrial relations from St. Francis University. She has plans to begin doctoral studies in organizational management.
Job responsibility: Direct consulting practice

First job: Fanny Farmer Candies sales associate during college; post-BA sales representative

Describe your guiding philosophy in business or personal life and who influenced it: My father taught me to always be honest, do what you say you will do, treat people the way you wish to be treated, and work hard.
Work accomplishments in the past year: I attained my Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation and my Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation. My firm also secured its ISO 9001:2000 recommendation certification.

Community/professional involvement:

• National Consultants Forum
• Institute of Management Consultants
• Society for Human Resource Management/World at Work
• Member: Somerset, Cambria, and Bedford chambers of commerce
• Member: Cambria-Somerset HR Association
• Adjunct Instructor: Geneva College & Penn State University
• Board of Trustees: Johnstown Christian Home
• Advisory Board: Graduate school, St. Francis University

Bob Sheetz

Large Business

Company name and address:
Sheetz Inc.
5700 Sixth Avenue
Altoona, Pa. 16602
Phone number: (814) 946-3611
Title: Vice-chairman of the board

Job responsibility: Consultant to the family business, member of the company's Advisory Board and participates in quarterly executive planning meetings.

First job: Opened the first Sheetz Kwik Shopper in 1952
Describe your guiding philosophy in business or personal life and what influenced it: His vision of providing customers with the best in convenience is what drives his success.

Work accomplishments in the past year:

• Ranked 100 on Forbes 500 list of Top Private Companies

• First National Bank, Boca Raton, Fla., board of directors
• First United Bank
• Island National Bank

JAYNE H. HUSTON

Non-Profit
Company name and address:
Seton Hill University's National Education Center for Women in Business
Seton Hill Drive
Greensburg, Pa. 15601
Phone number: (724) 830-4612
Email: Huston@setonhill.edu
Title: Transitional director

Education: Masters in business administration, Seton Hill University, Bachelor of Arts in journalism and communications, Point Park College

Job responsibility: Responsible for daily administrative oversight of the center, including supervision of staff, programs and activities to promote women and business ownership within the regional and national marketplaces. In addition, oversees a range of center advocacy activities.

First job: Executive director, Somerset County Chamber of Commerce
Describe your guiding philosophy in business or personal life and what influenced it: When I was in junior high school, my mother gave me a small placard to set on my desk that read: "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade." It's something I've never forgotten and a philosophy of sorts that I have used to influence my daily professional and personal life.

Work accomplishments in the past year: Appointed transitional director of Seton Hill University's National Education Center for Women in Business; currently leading The Center's first comprehensive Strategic Planning process; Seton Hill University named one of "100 Top Entrepreneurial Colleges" in country by Entrepreneur magazine.

Community/professional involvement:

• Blackburn Center Against Domestic and Sexual Violence-Board of Directors and chair, Public Relations Committee
• Covenant Presbyterian Church
• Volunteer, Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue

Laurie Zimmerman

Vinny Rhodes

Government/Economic Development
Company name and address:
Juniata Valley Area Chamber of Commerce
152 E. Market St., Suite 103
Lewistown, Pa. 17044
Phone number: (717) 248-6713
Email: jvacc@acsworld.com
Title: President (Laurie); Director (Vinny)

Job responsibility: Senior management position (Laurie)
First job: Taxicab dispatcher at age 14 (Laurie); First Media Radio, traffic director/office manager (Vinny)

Describe your guiding philosophy in business or personal life and what influenced it:

• Laurie Ð "Treat everybody equal, always respond to everyone whether you have an answer or not. Treat people the way you would like to be treated. Be honest. Try to help out when you can."
• Vinny Ð "Take the honest/appropriate path when getting where you want to be with both your business and personal life."

Work accomplishments in past year:

• Did a strategic plan for tourism
• Revised the visitor's bureau and chamber website
• Developed a visitor's guide
• Developed an economic sourcebook

• Laurie Ð ATHENA award, Big Valley Area Business Association, Focus Central Pennsylvania Board of Trustees, MCIDC board of directors, Rotary Ð Lewistown, Sam Walton award, Team Mifflin County board of directors, United Way's board of directors
• Vinny Ð Mifflin County Junior Achievement, Kiwanis of Lewistown, Lewistown Festival of Ice, Jack Robinson Bike-a-thon

WINNERS RECEIVE:
Winners in each category will receive a plaque and Pennsylvania Business Central will donate $500 to the charity of their choice.

$2,000 to charities

Pennsylvania Business Central is pleased to make four $500 donations in the names of our four 2003 Entrepreneur award winners.

Jayne Huston has designated her monetary award to go to the scholarship program of Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business, a project of the state DCED and business publications including PBC. "I'm proud to join Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business alumnae in supporting a scholarship that cultivates the next generation of outstanding women in business. I believe that it is the responsibility of all successful women to provide support and mentorship of tomorrow's business leaders."

Jonna Contacos-Sawyer has chosen St. Michaels Church in St. Michaels as the recipient of our $500 contribution in her name. "It's my church, my congregation," she said. "I feel that our core principles are supported and nurtured through our churches. It's why I am who I am." She cites the parish's numerous commitments to ministries in the community Ð everything from vacation bible school for children of all denominations to blood drives for the American Red Cross to help for the poor, sick, and shut-ins.

Junior Achievement of Central Pennsylvania is the charity chosen by Laurie Zimmerman and Vinny Rhodes. Both women are involved in the newly established area Junior Achievement programs. Zimmerman is on Juniata County Junior Achievement board and Rhodes serves on the Mifflin County JA board. The women feel that JA is "a nice tie-in for the Juniata Valley Area Chamber of Commerce." The non-profit group has been known for decades for promoting entrepreneurship to school-age children.

The Bob Sheetz $500 donation will be given to Special Olympics. Sheetz support for this competition started years ago at the store level. The first Sheetz store to get involved with Special Olympics was in Indiana. Support has grown over the years, fueled by the employees' enthusiasm for this worthy cause. Each year, a Special Olympian is a guest at Sheetz annual management meeting Ð "a huge inspiration to us all." Said Sheetz PR Director Nina Ellis, "Special Olympics has a special place in our hearts."