L.A's leading business women profiles.

KAREN CAPLAN, PRESIDENT & CEO Frieda's Inc.

Karen Caplan, president and chief executive office of Frieda's Inc., the nation's foremost marketer of exotic produce, has very naturally filled the shoes of her mother, Frieda, a true entrepreneur who in 1962 founded the company. As a teenager, Caplan worked summers for the company and learned the industry from the ground up. Though she was not pressured by her family to enter into the business, she was inspired by her summer experiences and joined the company in 1977 upon graduation from U. C. Davis with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics and Business Management. In 1986, at the age of 30 she was promoted to her current position. Under Caplan's leadership the company has more than doubled in size, sales, and profits in the past six years.

About two years ago, Caplan introduced the principles of Total Quality Management to the company and has found this philosophy that focuses on external customer satisfaction to be well received. Caplan has developed a strong management team, but she remains very involved in the sales and marketing of the company. Frieda's is a successful family-owned business that has not forgotten to remain personal. This philosophy applies to employees, vendors, clients, and of course, customers. Every package delivered by Frieda's has a letter on the back that reads, "Dear Customer, Please write and tell us what you bought, where you bought it and any other comments you have, and we'll send you free recipes." Frieda's receives between 300 and 500 letters each week and Caplan reads every one.

Within her own company, Caplan is committed to providing an environment that encourages people to be self motivated. She and her team put a lot of energy into the hiring process, believing that adding employees who are well matched to the company leads to greater success on both sides. The employees are happier and work harder, and the company benefits from dedicated workers and low turnover.

The personal approach that Caplan cultivates is what sets her apart from her competition. The ownership of the company remains personally involved with the buyers, vendors, growers, and clients. As the marketplace has become more sophisticated, Caplan is finding that her company must revise its exclusively product-oriented vision and expand its service orientation. Caplan and her employees are constantly inquiring as to what they can do to help the products sell. They look for feedback on trends, and have positioned themselves as providers of information, not just product. What keeps Frieda's at the top of the marketplace is personal attention, service orientation, and adaptability -- the principles on which this company was founded.

SHERI CARDELLA, PRESIDENT American Agencies of California

Sheri Cardella grew up in a business-minded family of lawyers and accountants and although she didn't enter either of those fields, the court system and legal terminology held a certain interest for her. In her earlier business career, she had been in public relations and management for a hotel chain so it was a natural transition for her to get into account receivables.

In 1990, when Cardella was looking for financing the economy was in bad shape. The banks and S&Ls were having problems and didn't really understand the collection agency business. The venture capitalists she contacted were not looking to be involved in projects for less than $5 million. In the end, she used her own resources and family assistance.

Cardella believes that a company can not be successful unless the individual members of the company are successful. In order to help her staff achieve success, she makes every effort to make them feel good about who they are working with and what they are accomplishing. She provides full training and creates expectations that employees are comfortable with and that they can achieve.

Torrence-based American Agencies of California has 40 employees that work on a contingency basis; Cardella has created bonus incentive and commission structures which allow the staff to reward or additionally compensate themselves. And it really works, because as a result or their productivity and success, the company has many long-term clients as well as highly compensated employees.

Her business is a competitive one, so she is a true believer in R&D. Recently Cardella's company has invested in an optical image storing system, which allows her banking and hospital clients with large databases to maintain an infinite number of complete records or accounts on-line regardless of the age or size of the file.

Cardella believes that in the future the cost of her services will be more directly reimbursed by those businesses and individuals who create the debt rather than the cost being borne by the consuming public in general. Cardella closely follows all the new legislation that governs her business and works with legislators who are trying to change laws that now favor the debtor. Her goal is to increase her client base by 15% per year with innovative and effective service.

MARY ANNE CHALKER, PRESIDENT LFC Insurance Brokers & Agents

Mary Ann Chalker contends that the desire to attend law school and the inability to afford the tuition is what influenced her to found LFC Insurance Brokers & Agents. States Mrs. Chalker, "Insurance is totally related to law because all of it is law in contrast." LFC was established from personal savings and reinvestments thereof. "I've always grown from within," she states while proudly discussing the success of her original business endeavor. As a result, her hard work and determination are reflected in her managerial tactics, which focus on responsiveness to the customers' needs.

The management and staff of LFC uphold the motif that the customer is always number one, as well as maintain a team attitude, one which understands and implements the importance of respect and loyalty toward both suppliers and purchasers, and respectively toward one another. While commenting on how she rewards and motivates her employees, Chalker states, "Being a woman, I've always understood the problem about schedules, so I initiated flex time almost before it existed. Through that process, we have permitted employees to have their own computer in-house, free time for studies anywhere at anytime at the job (including monetary compensation for courses, whether insurance-related or not); and unlimited time off for family or personal affairs -- whatever employees may need to feel comfortable and secure." As a result, the average retention time of employees is thirteen years, with one employee of 31 years and two retirees of 20 years each.

The success of LFC Insurance Brokers & Agents was achieved by selling quality, service and loyalty as opposed to price. Prosperity was also attained as a result of being responsive to customers' needs, and ultimately, by being forthright. In the coming years, Chalker hopes to see LFC as part of a super highway, integrated with other facilities. The company should be at the cutting-edge of universal health coverage which will be tied into workers' compensation, and employers will receive somewhat of a cost benefit approach by the elimination of duplicate claims. This will result in a 20%-30% reduction in employees' expense ratio on benefits, leading to individual growth for LFC employees as well as economic growth for the corporation.

PATTY DEDOMINIC, CEO PDQ Personnel Services

Patty DeDominic's establishment of PDQ Personnel Services was founded on a strong drive to help companies solve their recruiting difficulties, as well as the satisfaction she found in introducing qualified candidates to companies in need. As a result of working without pay, in order to save and reinvest profits, Patty DeDominic has cultivated her original endeavor into the largest, women-owned personnel service in Los Angeles, not to mention its position as one of the top 20 women-owned businesses based on revenues. What distinguishes her company from the competition, she contends, is PDQ's extensive and timely recruitment. DeDominic pioneered the "15 Minute Response Time" in temporary services, a commendable attribute to PDQ for its assistance to both the general public and temporary agencies nationwide.

"I try to challenge and stretch our people to set ambitions and goals for themselves, while offering a combination of feedback (both positive and constructive), freedom, and guidance to implement personal and company goals," states DeDominic. "People need room to express themselves, and because this philosophy holds true for our own personnel, we maintain the same philosophy for our customers." Thus, the importance of establishing credibility with customers is first and foremost for PDQ employees. As a result, employees' salaries are competitive. Incentives, bonus plans, and profit sharing are offered, company functions are frequent, stimulating projects are assigned, and continuing education courses are paid for in full by PDQ, thus magnifying the statement that "PDQ thrives on rewarding its staff."

"We strive to provide triple the value," states DeDominic, as she distinguishes PDQ Personnel Services from its competition. "For every dollar the customer spends, we provide three dollars in valuable service through selected personnel." With such a high-spirited system of reward, productivity and triumph are bound to be the result. In the future, Patty DeDominic hopes to see PDQ become one of the strongest personnel services on the West Coast. She projects a profit in excess of $40 million within the next five years, a +200% increase from 1993.

EILEEN POLLACK ERICKSON, VICE PRESIDENT & CFO Sheldon L. Pollack Corp.

Eileen Pollack Erickson honors her father as the originator of Sheldon L. Pollack Corporation. His inclusion of Eileen and her siblings into the family business from early childhood sparked the growth and development of what Sheldon L. Pollack Corporation is today, one of the top 20 women-owned businesses in the Los Angeles area. States Erickson, "My father started this business 40 years ago, and while other children had their parks and playgrounds, my sisters and brothers and I were included at construction sites and board meetings. Quite simply, this dynamic man, who showed us how exciting and challenging construction and real estate can be, inspired me to go into business."

In describing the roots of Pollack Corporation's financing, Erickson contends that one of the big advantages of a dynastic business is that someone had the foresight and generosity to offer his or her descendants career options. She states, "My grandmother had a small savings account of $500, accumulated literally nickel by nickel, which she offered my father to finance his initial business venture." Today the volume of that venture has grown into over $60 million per year. States Erickson, "In subsequent years, not having grandmother's nest egg to see us through, we have relied on conventional banks and savings and loans for construction and permanent financing, and investors and our own funds for development projects."

Erickson's method of staffing, one which consists of highly qualified individuals who tend to stay with the company for many years, is based on the requirement that all employees act as both "Indian and Chief." She describes the employees as self-starters who are also very team-oriented. Pollack Corporation distinguishes itself from its competition by its longevity, family ownership, and the broad range of services offered. Because many projects have been funded by the Pollack family's personal accounts, Erickson and associates have acquired the insight to focus on the owner's concerns and place them at the forefront of its decision-making strategies. States Erickson, "We believe the next five years will see our corporation primarily focused in health care, multi-family housing, and large retail projects such as manufacturer's outlet centers."

FARIDA FOTOUHI, PRESIDENT Fotouhi Alonso

Farida Fotouhi, CEO of Fotouhi Alonso was initially attracted to the advertising business because she thought it would allow her to be continually creatively challenged, involved in many different fields, and would provide a fast paced problem solving environment. Prior to starting her own company, Fotouhi had been ad manager at the Flying Tiger, a now defunct airline. The victim of a cyclical airline layoff, Fotouhi's entrepreneurial strengths came to the fore and she made the decision that she was not going to allow her destiny to be controlled by someone else. She decided to start her own agency, though she had never actually worked at one, and as she says, "it was a learn as you earn program" for her. On a plane stopover from Europe back to the West Coast, she targeted all the major airlines that were headquartered in New York and contacted them from a phone booth in Grand Central Station. Her first job assignment was handling TWA's West Coast cargo advertising.

The company expanded with a focus on direct response because Fotouhi felt it was a niche she could grow into. Soon, though, she found that her clients demanded not only direct response programs, but also complete advertising programs. Fotouhi's initial business came about through cold calls. She studied companies' annual reports, determined their weak points, and would then contact the appropriate individual and present her company as one that could help solve specific business problems.

Her current company is a full service agency, with strong capabilities in the direct response area. One of the philosophies of Fotouhi Alonso is that of no waste: don't waste the consumer's time in trying to figure out what the advertising is trying to say by keeping the creative simple and strategically based, and don't waste the client's money. Fotouhi believes that her company's reputation is built on the knowledge that Fotouhi Alonso creates "creative work that works."

Personal growth of her employees ranks high in Fotouhi's priorities. The company likes to hire entry-level college graduates and help them grow into positions of management. While there, the employees learn to work effectively as a team. The atmosphere is very focused, but very casual, because the communication of ideas is crucial.

A recent addition to the agency has been the appointment of Jim Agnew as president, previously head of J. Walter Thompson West for eight years and also head of McCann Erickson for the whole country. One of his responsibilities is to help structure Fotouhi Alonso for growth and his respected stature in the advertising community should help in achieving this goal.

ANITA GABRIEL, CEO Wareforce, Inc.

Anita Gabriel believes the computer industry is the most exciting field in which one can be involved. She states, "The vision, energy and growth one experiences being connected to the computer is phenomenal. The element I find so fascinating is the constant refinement of today's computer industry, both on the manufacturing side by improvement of products, and our customer's side, whom we assist in improving internal processes." Thus, having maintained a background in design and management, Gabriel founded Wareforce, Inc. based on a strong interest in and appreciation of the computer enterprise.

There was no outside source which assisted Gabriel in financing Wareforce, Inc. She states, "By keeping extremely lean in structure, growth has been accomplished through cash management." Today, Wareforce, Inc. is one of the top 10 women-owned businesses in the Los Angeles area, respectively based on rates.

Gabriel merits her practice of employee empowerment as the force behind Wareforce's growth and success. "Our approach is to avail talented, motivated individuals the tools and opportunities to create better conditions for themselves and their team. We are not a 'top heavy' organization. We have team leaders and little insulation between them and the 'open door' executive administration. This encourages employees to be proactive, knowing their ideas and needs are acknowledged, and keeps our employee turnover exceptionally low. We believe stable, satisfied personnel is key to our organization's growth."

Wareforce, Inc. rewards its personnel with a positive and energetic work environment that provides opportunity for personal growth. States Gabriel, "Empowerment coaxes them to see beyond their own needs and to work well together without heavy management that can often get in the way of bright, creative people." Wareforce, Inc. exercises a profit sharing plan as well, and offers departmental bonuses which recognizes the equal value of each employee contribution.

Service is what Gabriel contends distinguishes Wareforce from its competitors. "Our unique ability to solve so many problems at once with competitive pricing for our corporate customers is our edge," states Gabriel. Wareforce offers an exceptional product mix of software, hardware, volume purchase programs, repairs, and service to all the leading manufacturers. "This is a dream come true for the corporate world," Gabriel contends, "because the fewer the vendors the fewer the headaches. Our prices cannot be beaten, and our service is far more superior and consistent than companies ten times our size. We develop partnerships with our customers and give them full support above and beyond the call of duty."

In the near future, Wareforce will have expanded from their headquarters and 2 locations to five additional facilities nationwide. "This will put Wareforce closer to our accounts that stretch from Hughes across the street to Lockheed, and New Hampshire. The industry is gearing up for future innovations that will bring significant changes to how software is distributed now, and we are geared up for that. Our corporate partners will depend on us to provide the support and service they will require for a long time to come," she states. In the next five years, Gabriel projects revenues of $21 million to $100 million.

LESLIE GRUNDY, PRESIDENT Bert-Co Graphics

In just ten years, Leslie Grundy has risen through the ranks to her current position as president of Bert-Co Graphics. Originally hired as the only woman salesperson at the company, she quickly proved her prowess by taking the lead as top salesperson. A repeat performance of excellence promoted her to sales manager, then vice president of sales and then partner. Trained in sales, Grundy had never worked in the printing world until she joined Bert-Co. At that time she was looking for a creative job in an exciting environment and she found it in what had traditionally been the male dominated field of printing. Grundy focused her efforts on the music industry which provided a client base she found particularly stimulating and interesting.

Bert-Co is currently undergoing a reconstruction into three specialty markets. One will focus on packaging, one will be point of purchase, and one will be web printing. The web printing is exclusively devoted to the five days a week printing of The Hollywood Reporter. One of the areas of specialty that Bert-Co has dominated is motion and light displays that are typically used for beer displays in liquor stores. This strength has led to involvement with POPA (Point of Purchase Association) which is based on the East Coast. Grundy has been instrumental in enhancing the perception of the point of purchase market on the West Coast. In addition to the motion and light displays, Bert-Co also serves video companies by making the standees for theatrical releases. Bert-Co has recently made history for women by gaining an entree into the industry of packaging, a traditionally male dominated market. The company is creating folding cartons for high-end customers, such as cosmetics, and computer companies. One important customer is Giorgio.

The commitment to expanding the domain where women have usually been located extends to Bert-Co's hiring practice. It is unusual to find a sales force that has a high proportion of women in the printing world, but Bert-Co's is equally male and female. These saleswomen have had a long history of success with the company, and turnover is extremely low.

For the last four years Grundy has been involved in dealing with the inside presidential responsibilities, but her current focus is on developing more and larger customers. Grundy's strong point has always been cultivating a good client base, and she is excited about turning her energies in a more outward fashion at this time.

CHRISTINE JERRY-STOREY, PRESIDENT Midnite Express

Christine Jerry-Storey, president of Midnite Express, an international and domestic air courier, freight and local messenger service got involved in the shipping business because she was interested in traveling and she also thought it would be a more lucrative field than the ones traditionally open to women. As a single mother, she was keen to be as financially solvent as possible. Jerry-Storey's introduction to the field began when she was recruited to join the sales team of a major courier company in Phoenix. She was then sent by the company to open up their Los Angeles office. Once here, Jerry-Storey became aware of a niche that no other courier or freight company had filled, and she carved it out for herself.

Midnite Express is a one-stop operation that has tailored itself to the specific needs of the entertainment business. No other company recognized or was willing to cater to the flexibility and creativity in shipping that the entertainment business demands. The requirements often include impossible deadlines and odd shipping requests. The ability to provide customized service, including an in-house packaging, crating and shipping department has distinguished Midnite Express from the other major shipping and courier companies.

The company was started in 1983 with a personal loan of $10,000 and floated with charges on an American Express card. The response was so overwhelming that the loans were repaid in three months. Midnite Express based its reputation on providing personal and special service to its customers, and today as a $15.5 million company it has the major share of the entertainment shipping industry.

The personal involvement extends to Jerry-Storey's management philosophy regarding her employees. She empowers each employee with complete responsibility for client satisfaction. As a service industry-oriented company, management believes it is important that each employee understand that he or she reflects the entire company. To achieve positive results, the company emphasizes teamwork, good morale, and has established a pursuit of excellence program. Effort has been put toward keeping morale up with the implementation of programs that allow employees to feel that they are an important part of the team. A "Breakfast with the Boss" program, run on a lottery system, encourages communication among all levels.

Jerry-Storey expects to do $17 million in 1994 as the company continues to expand its overseas operations. At this point there are offices in New York, London, Paris, Sydney, Singapore, and Amsterdam. The company also plans to expand to Asia with an office scheduled to open in Hong Kong later this year. In addition, Jerry-Storey believes there is a lot of room for growth with service to other industries.

MARSHA KENT, PRESIDENT Kent & Spiegel Direct

Marsha Kent, co-president of Kent & Spiegel Direct, Inc. has been credited with some of the best instincts in the direct response television industry. These instincts are really entrepreneurial risk-taking fearlessness. In the late 1980s, a new marketing trend -- the infomercial -- lured her away from the international trade show industry where she had been a consultant to major national and international companies.

Her first infomercial was, by her own admission, very homemade but its success rate took the television and marketing worlds by storm. The product was the Miracle Blade. There are now two Miracle Blade infomercials that have been on-the-air for 32 months, to date they have sold more than 1.2 million sets. For an infomercial to be successful it must motivate, entertain, and sell. In 1990, Kent Television Marketing was founded; and in 1993, she joined forces with Peter Spiegel to found Kent & Spiegel Direct, Inc. As CEO of Kent Television, she is the only woman to own and operate a direct response television marketing company.

As her company grew, so did the production level, and the infomercials her company now produces are extremely professional, with rich lighting and excellent sound standard features. She is aided in her productions by a predominantly female staff that believes in quality and teamwork. Kent encourages her employees to feel that each one of them is crucial to every production. To this end, she has created an open environment that allows her employees to feel important as individuals. The company has once-a-month meetings where everyone is encouraged to talk about what he or she is working on and to take suggestions from others. There is an orientation program in place for new employees, so that he or she feels like a part of the family from the very beginning.

The impending technological changes in how information is disseminated and the increase in direct sales via television have Kent excited about new possibilities for the future. Her goal is to be one of the leading suppliers of branded consumer goods. Branded because as she says, "With the power of television, we have the opportunity to create a brand name in a very short period of time." She intends to pursue several avenues to create customer awareness and provide sell-through. The company will continue to produce infomercials and will expand into direct response spots, active television buying, and will also place the product in retail environments nationwide.

GILDA MARX, CEO Gilda Marx Industries

Gilda Marx, co-CEO of Gilda Marx Industries, has had an extensive and successful career in the fitness and fashion fields. As a dancer and choreographer in the early 1960s, she was teaching an exercise program to a small group of women. This class was the basis of dance aerobics as we know it today. Previously, exercise to music was an unknown concept, but the success of her innovation led to the development of a chain of highly acclaimed fitness studios. In the early 1970s, years of teaching and communicating with students led Marx to take the natural step into designing exercise wear. At that time there was nothing satisfactory available for women interested in high-quality, fashionable, and comfortable bodywear. Marx and her husband created Flexatard, bodywear with a new four-way stretch fabric, available in bright colors, that contoured the body. She designed four silhouettes and in 1977, her first year in business, she shipped $600,000 worth of merchandise.

Marx has since gone on to design hundreds of other silhouettes, developing other fabrics and companies to manufacture these lines. She asserts that what sets her apart from her competition is that she is a woman with a complete background in the fitness world. Her designs have the needs of other women in mind. She has built her reputation on fit, fashion, and quality, and projects that the company will, in the future, be more of a lifestyle, casual wear company. The workout wear has expanded into the casual wear realm and this fall Marx will ship a collection that combines the two. Her company is also expanding by licensing the Gilda Marx name.

Gilda Marx Industries is an international company with both sales and offices around the world. Approximately 160 people are employed here in the Los Angeles area. It is a family-owned and operated business with Marx's husband serving as co-CEO, her son as president, and her daughter as a product manager. Marx spends her time focusing on creative designs, public relations, and the promotional aspects of the business.

Marx's philosophy of "management by involvement" promotes an atmosphere of teamwork. The management team meets regularly to discuss the direction and needs of the company. Individual employees benefit from bonus programs that are based on the overall success of the company. Gilda Marx Industries is loyal to its employees and the company has, in turn, been rewarded by low turnover. The predominant tone of the company is one of family, and that includes both related and unrelated employees.

PHYLLIS MURPHY, PRESIDENT P. Murphy & Associates

Phyllis Murphy was being interviewed as a manager by various companies when she realized that these companies did not share her opinions of moral conduct and proper representation. She believes most companies do not maintain a high enough regard for what she believes spawns a successful business, that is, an absolute focus on customer service. Murphy's decision to execute her own personal management philosophy resulted in the foundation of a computer consulting company, and thus began her self-financed road to achievement. She relied on stocks, bonds, and trusts from her childhood to serve as financial support for what was then a small business. Today, P. Murphy & Associates flourishes as one of the top 20 women-owned businesses in Los Angeles.

Phyllis Murphy believes in giving her employees a window of opportunity to be successful. She encourages employees to be team-oriented, yet her approach is uniquely individualized. Each employee works with his or her own set of goals while remaining consistent with those of the corporation, thus creating a remarkable balance. "In order to achieve their own objectives," Murphy expresses, "I provide my employees with the proper tools and training needed to do so." A mixture of personal and team- oriented objectives results in prosperity for the company, both internally and externally, as employees are satisfied and efficiency is strengthened.

P. Murphy and Associates was founded on flexibility for its personnel. Murphy delegates responsibility in a way that employees are rewarded with control over their own lives. She asserts that micromanagement leads to decreased feelings of empowerment among associates, therefore the most successful management is based on variation. States Murphy, "The system fits the needs of the moment. I have become flexible almost to the point of fluidity."

In the future, Murphy wishes to continue on a balanced level of growth. She plans to continue offering what she believes is true customer service and employee satisfaction, and hopes that it will maintain the same level of fulfillment and achievement P. Murphy & Associates enjoys today.

CATHY O'BRYANT, PRESIDENT O'Bryant Electric, Inc.

Cathy O'Bryant founded O'Bryant Electric, Inc. in 1978 as a result of a joint decision between her and her husband. The company began as a family-oriented business whose goals were more focused on servicing the community rather than increasing profit. Commenting on the company's success, O'Bryant said, "With this attitude, profit margins naturally expanded." O'Bryant and her original partners (her husband, brother and father-in-law), each contributed a couple thousand dollars toward the original financing, thus forming the nucleus of the organization.

O'Bryant's philosophy of management is based on a team concept -- everyone within the organization has a certain responsibility and is assigned to a certain area. Individual employees are equally as important as the whole organization and each employee is encouraged to be efficient and remain open to discussion. The relaxed atmosphere, and flexibility in dress code and scheduling all lead to an unconstrained sense of responsibility among the O'Bryant Electric family. O'Bryant chooses to reward her employees in either a monetary way or with time off.

O'Bryant contends that the previous growth and success of O'Bryant Electric began with its reputation of rapid processing and cost-effective productivity. Today, she and associates are not looking to grow economically, thus, five years from now, O'Bryant hopes to maintain the present business volume and continue on a productive, balanced level of success.

BARBARA NYDEN RODSTEIN, OWNER Harden Industries

Barbara Nyden Rodstein is chairman and CEO of Los Angeles-based Harden Industries, an international manufacturer of decorative solid brass bathroom fixtures and accessories. This multimillion dollar company was founded in 1982 by Rodstein and her husband with just $5,000. When her husband died, Rodstein continued to steer the company into ever more profitable waters.

The couple had the idea to start the company based on the fact that at that time brass was selling at a wholesale price of 35 cents a pound, but a retail price of $250 a pound. Rodstein projected that a good profit could be made if an attractive product line was developed. Both she and her husband were familiar with die-casting, and she had some manufacturing experience. Today, Harden employs 224 people in Los Angeles County and has manufacturing facilities in Taipei, Taiwan, as well as sales offices in Taipei, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The company sells and distributes its products in 46 countries.

The building industry is a mercurial one, and the last few years have been extremely difficult in Southern California. Rodstein has responded to the challenge by diversifying, expanding the product line, and stream lining her payroll. She has distinguished herself from her competition by continuing to offer a high-quality line at a good price. As she says, "My product is a good bang for a buck." In addition, she stands behind her product. Since her company is an international one, she has to be apprised of building codes and requirements around the world. In addition, her company's resources are subject to currency fluctuations.

All of these challenges have led Rodstein to alter her previous management philosophy. Her managers told her that in difficult times the company needed a strong leader at the helm who made firm decisions. She was encouraged to leave behind her previous mode of management by consensus. The current leadership role she occupies is one of openness in that her door is always open, but she also sets the tone for the company. Rodstein works with her employees to help them determine how they can make the greatest contribution, and reap the greatest reward.

Rodstein's long-term planning is in a constant state of flux due to the ever present changes around the world, and within the national presidential administrations. The company has set up a system to follow for each new product or idea: plan it twice, experiment with it four times and test the applications throughout the process of market penetration, sales, manufacturing. These steps allow the company to keep abreast of the market.

PATRICIA RYAN, PRESIDENT Party Planners West Inc.,

Patricia Ryan, having worked in the hotel industry for some years, recognized that many corporations need the assistance of an outside agency when planning party events. In an effort to eliminate the need for hiring various graphic artists, designers, and decorators for company-sponsored events, Ryan created Party Planners West Inc. - Corporate Event Services. This agency is specifically designed to provide party planning services to businesses. Party Planners West was originally financed by Ryan herself, who modestly declares she began her financial endeavor on "the dining room table."

"Everyone is involved with all aspects of the business here at Party Planners West," states Ryan. She maintains a small-office approach where the protocol is casual, open discussion is encouraged, and network computers are used so that everyone has access to vital company information. The fact that the employees are able to take on larger projects and become involved is what Ryan claims to be the primary motivator for her employees. This involvement promotes excitement, includes travel opportunities, provides opportunities for individual growth, and opens doors for possible promotion. Also, employees annually vote for two "Employees of the Year," regardless of rank or seniority, and a cash bonus is included in the award.

On Party Planner's distinguishing characteristics, Ryan contends that, "Most coordinating firms do not have a production department, whereas we are our own supplier. We are an in-house firm that brings money back into the company, mainly through drafting, delivery, and graphic services. Most importantly, we strive to be fast and efficient, so when corporations need information we work our hardest to get it right to them."

Party Planners West Inc. offers quality, consistency, and flexibility to its clients. There is a strong commitment to technology, in which only top-of-the-line equipment is used to sustain a reputation of speedy and accurate service. Because of the growing need for nationwide and overseas services, Party Planners West Inc. plans to expand its offices within the next five years. States Ryan, "We're not limited by geography, therefore there is a tremendous opportunity for expansion. Sales should remain consistent if not increase and ultimately Party Planners West will become globally available."

KATHY TAGGARES, PRESIDENT K.T.'s Kitchens

When Kathy Taggares started her company in 1987, she had been in the food manufacturing business since first starting her working career -- she stayed with the thing she knew. At the company where she had been working, she felt she was performing the job of general manager but her title was vice president of sales and marketing. She thought she would get fired before she got promoted. It was a large old-time privately-owned company that she felt could never envision a woman running their business.

Taggares started her business with a $6 million acquisition of a Marriott Corporation-owned company. She was able to negotiate the deal -- without a penny to her name -- because Marriott was under the assumption that she was representing the company she was working for. She cut a very attractive deal, with Marriott taking back $5 million of the acquisition price in paper. But she still had to come up with $1 million in 45 days. Very quickly she put together a business plan from a little book on how to write a business plan. After taking her plan to various banks, Union Bank gave her 70% financing based on the inventory, receivables, and equipment she was buying. That gave her $700,000 of which she needed $1 million. She sold her condominium, car, jewelry, and life insurance. People thought she was crazy. On day 43 she was down to the eleventh hour, Marriott was threatening law suits after realizing that she was not going to be able to raise the cash. She still needed $180,000 when she realized she would be buying a hamburger patty making machine that she would not need. She sold it for exactly $187,541.42, with an attorney representing the buyer following her to the final contract signing with Marriott.

These days Taggares is much less hands-on in her management style then she was in those early crazy days. During 1993 she was out-of-town 80% of the time, working on another start-up operation. That forced her to delegate and she believes that it has been good for employees.

Taggares is a very vocal person and she lets her employees know when she is unsatisfied with their work. But she-also acknowledges her employees' efforts and responsibility with plenty of cash incentives.

What distinguishes K.T.'s Kitchens from her competition is its size. Her competitors are huge companies like Kraft Foods, Pillsbury, and Quaker Oats. It takes them a much longer time to react to changes in customer preferences; Taggares' company can turn on a dime. K.T.'s Kitchens is big enough to mass produce yet it can still custom make products. Taggares personally deals with her biggest customers and is able to cut deals right on the spot.

Taggares will be very busy in the next few years. She is involved in a new partnership that is developing a line of vending machines that keeps food frozen and dispenses it hot. And because she is maxing out capacity at her Glendale manufacturing plant, she is planning on opening a second manufacturing plant on the East Coast.

JULIA THOMAS, PRESIDENT & CEO Bobrow/Thomas and Associates

Julia Thomas is president and CEO of Bobrow/Thomas and Associates (BTA), an architecture, planning, and consulting firm with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Hong Kong. BTA has an international reputation for innovative design expertise in health care, education, research and high-technology facilities. The company is ranked by Modern Healthcare Magazine as one of the top 10 health care design firms in the nation. The local office employs 85 people.

Upon receiving her Master of Arts in Architecture from UCLA, Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Thomas joined forces with a former professor to establish BTA. As CEO, she does the strategic planning for the firm and gets directly involved in the planning and design of individual projects. Right now the firm's largest project is planning the replacement of Cook County Hospital in Chicago, which will ultimately result in a $600-million project. BTA is also designing a replacement in Los Angeles for the City of Hope where a lot of cancer research is done. It has been a moving experience for Thomas to collaborate with the staff on incorporating design solutions which relate to holistic attitudes about the treatment of patients.

BTA approaches a project by determining the needs of the client before beginning the design stage. In the next step, what sets BTA apart from its competition, is that the firm is interested in bringing new and enlightened attitudes about architecture to health care projects. Traditionally the health care industry has not been concerned with good architectural design. BTA focuses on combining design with practical needs. With health care reform on the horizon, the company has felt the need to develop flexible plans for its clients to take them through into a post reform era. There has been a big shift away from large hospitals to outpatient, managed care and ambulatory facilities. In the future, BTA will continue to diversify in the building types it creates, and will continue its pursuit of international work.

For Thomas, one of the rewards of having a company that combines both architecture and a social conscience is that interesting and talented people want to work for the firm. There has been a succession of highly talented people who have brought with them new and exciting ideas. The environment that Thomas cultivates at BTA encourages her employees to find internal rewards from their work by establishing a milieu where everyone is a peer, where experimentation is encouraged, and where the opportunity to do significant work is available. This combination creates a dynamic atmosphere, and Thomas, as a manager, gets great satisfaction from seeing people she works with perform well and flourish.

KATHLEEN WILLIAMS, CEO Williams Television Time

In just a few short years, Kathleen Williams has come a long way and as CEO of Williams Television Time, a full service direct marketing firm which specializes in the production and management of infomercials, she has an impressive resume. A graduate of Cornell University with a B.A. in Consumer Economics and Nutrition, she was not initially sure where her career path would lead. In 1985, she was hired by real estate mogul and infomercial guru, Ed Beckley, to buy television time for him -- even though she knew nothing about television, and was in fact, in the mortgage brokerage industry. Beckley provided a situation that allowed Williams a glimpse of the potential earning power of direct response; and this made a powerful visionary believer out of her.

In 1987, fortified by her belief in an untapped market and the opportunity for great financial reward, she started her own company with $2,000 in cash assets and a handful of credit cards. A testament to her success was her 1992 billing: $55 million. Williams Television Time is the only company that offers all the services and information necessary for direct response television not only in the United States, but also internationally. What distinguishes Williams Television Time from other companies is that it functions as an agency and does not have a controlling interest in the products it promotes. The company specializes in infomercials and short-form advertising, has a full-fledged marketing division, and a spot division. The full service that the company offers only begins with the creation and production of an infomercial. It also takes the campaign from the testing stage to customer orders and the maintenance of the new customer. These steps are achieved via telemarketing, product fulfillment, customer service, and data management.

Williams's management philosophy begins with who walks through the front door and is asked to stay. She endeavors to staff her organization with bright, motivated, and aggressive people. In addition, she believes that politics and red tape hinder the successful functioning of a company and does her best to eradicate them. The work environment is one that encourages employees to feel that there is room to grow, that individual participation and contribution is important.

Williams predicts that her company will continue to hold its position as the premiere direct response company in the country, and its growth will be enhanced by increased international expansion. The company recently opened an office in England and is casting its eyes toward Europe. In addition, Williams projects that areas of growth include further development in affiliations with direct mail and outbound telemarketing.